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Published on: January 4, 2016
Patenting the bomb: nuclear weapons, intellectual property, and technological control
1Department of History of Science, Harvard University, Science Center 371, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA. wellerst@fas.harvard.edu
Summary
The Manhattan Project used patents for legal control of atomic bomb inventions, leveraging secrecy laws. This ad hoc system aimed for postwar control of nuclear technology.
Area of Science:
- History of Science
- Legal History
- Nuclear Technology
Background:
- The Manhattan Project sought to control nuclear weapons and energy through patents.
- This contrasted with traditional secrecy surrounding nuclear technology.
Observation:
- Patent control was an ad hoc legal strategy by project administrators.
- It focused on monopolistic aspects and existing secrecy legislation.
Findings:
- Patents were seen as a method for controlling the novel atomic bomb technology.
- This approach aimed for meaningful postwar control of nuclear advancements.
Implications:
- The patent system's role highlights early administrative thinking on nuclear technology control.
- It reveals the intersection of intellectual property law and national security during wartime.
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