Cesium was first discovered by Gustav Kirchhoffer and Robert Bunsen in 1860.
The undergraduate student, Margret Melhase (8/13/1919 – 8/8/2006) was given 100grams of neutron irradiated Uranium in March of 1941. She successfully discovered and separated Cesium 137. Her work was done on the top floor of a wooden ramshackled building affectionately know as “The Rat House”. She was turned down from going on to graduate school because UC Berkley, at this time of great enlightenment, felt that women would just go out and get married there by wasting their education.
Glen Seaborg became the chancellor of UC Berkley and shares the credit for the discovery of Cesium137 with Margret Melhase Fuchs.
Cesium137 is the by-product of nuclear fission and is an extremely lethal radioactive chemical with a half life of over 30 years.
The radiation from Cesium 137 has been harnessed to cure some cancers and it is currently used in some flow measuring equipment and other useful devices.
A disaster involving Cesium 137 and it's accidental dispersion among the population
of Goiania, Brazil happened in September 1987. It brought death, contamination and stigmatized the people and produce of the region.
All anti-terrorist police agencies are very much aware of the danger posed by the highly lethal nature of this substance.
A fictional novel, incorporating the use of cesium137 as a diabolical killing weapon, has recently been published under the title “Good Till Your Last Breath”, and can be found at www.barcbarry.com/Published-Stuff.html
