Thomas Neff’s idea rid the world of a third of its nuclear warheads
The physicist and government adviser died on July 11th, aged 80
Crouching under his school desk as he had been instructed, Thomas Neff listened to the sirens wailing. This was a nuclear-attack drill, aka “duck and cover”. The giant threat of the Soviet Union was a constant in those days. All through grade school and high school he had those drills. But Portland, Oregon, was a remote, blue-collar place back then, and he was just a teacher’s son who was happy to earn extra nickels by picking strawberries and beans. Why would the Soviets attack him, and how could it do any good to hide under his desk?
This article appeared in the Obituary section of the print edition under the headline “Thomas Neff”
From the July 27th 2024 edition
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