Whose calculations first explained the source of the Sun’s energy as nuclear fusion?
Quick Answer
Hans Bethe explained in 1939 how stars, including the Sun, produce energy by nuclear fusion. His work identified the proton-proton chain and carbon-nitrogen-oxygen cycle.
The Full Story
Hans Bethe’s 1939 paper solved one of astronomy’s biggest puzzles: how the Sun shines for billions of years. He showed that nuclear fusion in stellar cores could convert hydrogen into helium and release vast amounts of energy. For stars like the Sun, the proton-proton chain is the main process, while more massive stars also rely on the CNO cycle. Bethe’s theory became a cornerstone of astrophysics and earned him the 1967 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Key Facts
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