DuringWorldWarII,thelivesofmillionsofAmericanslayprecariouslyinthehandsofafewbrilliantscientistswhoracedtodevelopthefirstweaponofmassdestruction.ElectedofficialsgavethescientistsfreereinintheManhattanProjectwithoutunderstandingthecomplexitiesanddangersinvolvedinsplittingtheatom.TheManhattanProjectwasthefirstexampleofanewtypeofchoiceforcongressmen,presidents,andothergovernmentofficials:lifeanddeathonanationalscale.Fromthatmoment,ourgovernmentbeganfashioningpublicpolicyforissuesofscientificdevelopment,discoveries,andinventionsthatcouldsecureorthreatenourexistenceandourfuture.Butthosesamemenandwomenhadnotraininginsuchfields,didnotunderstandtheramificationsoftheresearch,andreliedonincompleteinformationtoformpotentiallylife-changingdecisions.ThroughthestoryoftheManhattanProject,NeilJ.Sullivanasksbywhatcriteriathepeopleinchargeatthetimemadesuchcriticaldecisions.Healsopondershowsimilarjudgmentsarereachedtodaywithsimilarincomprehensionfromthoseatthetopasoursocietydivesdownthepotentialrabbitholeofbioengineering,nanotechnology,andscientificdevelopmentsyettocome.
