The History of the Particle Accelerator

In 1932, two researchers built the first particle accelerator which was really used to split the atom for the first time in April 1932. They had to figure out how to work with high voltage as safely through the same period. There were no alpha particles going into the experiment and there was a lithium target. And it just gives me shivers every time I think about sitting underneath the accelerator watching a screen showing this moment that we now know is part of physics.