ORAU: Then & Now
ORAU: Then & Now is a great resource for you to learn about how our people, programs and partners are making a huge impact, serving our country and giving us the competitive edge on the world stage in the areas of STEM education, workforce solutions, exposure science, health education, disaster preparedness, forensic science and so much more! We are committed to integrating our resources for the purpose of innovating a stronger tomorrow.
Learn our history that began with the Manhattan Project during World War II and the ways we respond to critical national needs today. Watch our short videos and discover how ORAU is championing science, health and education.
Check back often as we share behind-the-scenes content, surprise teachers with STEM equipment giveaways and interview some of the smartest men and women in the world.
Fiestaware’s striking colors, particularly the iconic Fiesta red, were originally achieved with uranium oxide, making pieces radiantly unique. The use of uranium for this purpose, a practice halted and then altered due to World War II demands for atomic bomb production, underscores the blend of art and atomic science in these everyday items.
By the mid-1920s and into the 1930s, a rash of radium-related illnesses began to emerge including hundreds of instances of severe anemia, radiation poisoning, bone fractures and necrosis of the jaw, a condition that came to be known as “radium jaw.” The common denominator in these cases: the sick had worked as radium dial painters.
Discover some fun facts about the Boy Scout Atomic Energy Merit Badge at ORAU’s Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, such as the requirements for the badge.
Learn more about ORAU’s more than 30 years of experience managing comprehensive health programs for a wide range of occupational exposures.
Toy trains were once used to move radioactive sources from one location to another to minimize human exposure to ionizing radiation.
Elizabeth Rona was a brilliant scientist, and she had the opportunity to work with other notable scientists because of the timing of her research interests in radioactivity, exceptional expertise in extracting polonium and her contributions to the understanding of radiochemistry.
Discover everything you need to know about the roof tile from Hiroshima located at ORAU’s Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, including how it ended up in Oak Ridge.