An Austrian scientist, Gernot Zippe, is widely credited as the father of the modern uranium centrifuge. His design included the key elements that made the machines efficient and reliable: a needlelike metal bearing that supports the rotor at the bottom and a set of magnets that keep the top of the rotor stable. — How Brazil Spun the Atom
The documentary includes a key clip of Professor Wood interviewing Gernot Zippe in 2003 — which I have included below. The full 45 minutes can be viewed at the Institute For Science And International Security — which was founded by David Albright.
The report cover below is from the consulting that Zippe did during the late 50s at the University of Virginia — which science historian Alex Wellerstein addresses in his excellent article on Zippe and the evolution of centrifuge technology. Zippe is quite a fascinating story — so I’ll be adding some commentary to this section later.
MOUNT EVEREST OF THE OBVIOUS 