www.lesswrong.com/posts/TjcvjwaDsuea8bmbR/maybe-there-s-a-pattern-here
2 corrections found
co-invented cordite
Cordite was invented by Sir Frederick Abel and Sir James Dewar (1889), not Alfred Nobel.
Full reasoning
Why this is incorrect
The post states Nobel “co-invented cordite.” But multiple reputable references attribute the invention of cordite to Sir Frederick Abel and Sir James Dewar (and do not list Nobel as an inventor).
- The Royal Institution biography of James Dewar explicitly says that, while working with Frederick Abel, Dewar invented cordite.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica’s biography of Frederick Abel likewise says Abel, with James Dewar, invented cordite.
- The Royal Society of Chemistry notes Abel “with Dewar” discovered cordite and even mentions a priority dispute vs Nobel, reinforcing that Nobel was not credited as a co-inventor of cordite.
Taken together, these contradict the claim that Nobel co-invented cordite.
3 sources
- James Dewar (1842-1923) | Royal Institution
“Working with Frederick Abel on a government explosives committee he invented cordite.”
- Sir Frederick Augustus Abel | Explosives, Gunpowder, Nitroglycerin | Britannica
“...with the chemist Sir James Dewar, invented cordite (1889) ...”
- The Chemical Society & the Royal College of Chemistry (Royal Society of Chemistry)
“...Frederick Abel, who, with Dewar, discovered cordite and won a legal case against Nobel over their priority.”
In 1937 Leo Szilárd fled Nazi Germany
Szilárd fled Nazi Germany in 1933 (after Hitler’s rise to power), not 1937; 1937 is associated with his move to the United States.
Full reasoning
Why this is incorrect
The post dates Szilárd’s flight from Nazi Germany to 1937. However, biographical sources on Szilárd consistently place his departure from Germany in 1933, immediately after Hitler came to power.
- The U.S. Department of Energy’s Manhattan Project history biography states: “In spring 1933, following Adolf Hitler's rise to power, Szilard fled to England.”
- The Atomic Heritage Foundation profile similarly states: “When Hitler rose to power in 1933, Szilard moved to England.”
So the specific claim “In 1937 Leo Szilárd fled Nazi Germany” is contradicted by these sources.
2 sources
- Manhattan Project: People > Scientists > LEO SZILARD (U.S. DOE / OSTI)
“In spring 1933, following Adolf Hitler's rise to power, Szilard fled to England.”
- Leo Szilard - Nuclear Museum (Atomic Heritage Foundation)
“When Hitler rose to power in 1933, Szilard moved to England.”