Introducing isotopes
One of the oldest employees of the Institute of Atomic Energy recalls how in 1956 his chief, Igor Kurchatov, visited Tashkent on the occasion of the organization the Institute of Nuclear Physics, and start of design work on the VVR-SM reactor. The scientific supervisor of the uranium problem spoke at a meeting of the Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, was presented with an oriental robe, and linked the prosperity of cotton growing in the region with the creation of nuclear infrastructure:
The development of a series of works on the best fertilizers from Kara-Tau phosphorites (…), which is of enormous importance for the republic, is limited by the absence of short-life radioisotopes with a lifetime of up to several tens of minutes. Such short-life isotopes can be obtained in the reactor only on site.
Kurchatov used his authority to support the costly project, and peaceful atoms – to strengthen his expert position. Having prioritized the production of short-life i...