At 5 a.m. on Nov. 4, 1943, the Graphite Reactor achieved criticality, making it the world's first continuously operated nuclear reactor.

The success of the reactor set the stage for ORNL, then known as X-10, to move forward as a scientific institution after the end of World War II.

See how ORNL has evolved from a top-secret laboratory to a world leader in #supercomputing, #materials research, #isotopes and #cleanenergy.

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