Top atomic bomb scientist dies at 95

Zhou Guangzhao, a renowned physicist and former president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has died at the age of 95, Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday.

A pivotal figure in China's nuclear weapons program, Zhou was honored with the prestigious "Two Bombs, One Satellite" Meritorious Service Medal in 1999.

Zhou made significant contributions to theoretical physics, including his discovery in 1960 of the partial conservation of axial current — one of the most important contributions to particle physics and the key to understanding the interactions of fundamental particles known as pions.

His work was also instrumental in the research and development of China's first atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb and other nuclear weapons.

In his distinguished career, Zhou served as chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology and vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the 9th National People's Congress. He received numerous awards, including the first prize of the National Natural Science Prize in 1964 and the first prize for Major Scientific and Technological Achievements from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1987.

In 1999, Zhou was honored with the "Two Bombs, One Satellite "Meritorious Service Medal, awarded by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission to 23 outstanding scientists who contributed to the development of China's atomic bombs, missiles and satellites.

Despite his achievements, Zhou was known for his humility, once remarking: "Whether it is an atomic bomb or a hydrogen bomb, it is not the work of a few individuals but the collective effort of over 100,000 people. If you want to evaluate my contribution, it is just one hundred-thousandth."

In 2019, on Zhou's 90th birthday, he was lauded by renowned physicist Chen-Ning Yang, who praised Zhou's personal and professional success. Nobel laureate Tsung-Dao Lee also sent a congratulatory letter to Zhou on the occasion. Lee died two weeks ago in San Francisco at the age of 96.

With Zhou's passing, only two of the 23 scientists who received the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" Meritorious Service Medal in 1999 — Wang Xiji and Sun Jiadong — remain alive. All the scientists involved in the development of China's nuclear weapons have now died.

yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn