Which writer coined the term “atomic bomb” approximately thirty years before its invention?
Aldous Huxley
Mark Twain
Charles Dickens
H. G. Wells
The atom bomb was one of the defining inventions of the 20th century. Yet, what’s truly remarkable is how science fiction luminary HG Wells foretold its creation nearly three decades prior to its actual fruition. Written in 1913, nearly 30 years before the onset of the Manhattan Project, Wells’ prophetic work, “The World Set Free,” describes cities around the world being devastated by what he called “atomic bombs.” Wells predicted not only the mushroom cloud we associate with atomic bombs but their lasting radiation as well. He chose for his epitaph the words, “I told you so. You damned fools.”
Correct Answer: H. G. Wells