Weaponry: Scientists Meet at Berkeley to Lay Foundation to Build an Atomic Bomb
A gathering of many of the world's greatest scientists in 1942, hosted by J. Robert Oppenheimer, laid the foundation for the development of the atomic bomb.

Weaponry: Use of Chlorine Gas Cylinders in World War I
The first use of lethal poison gas, on April 22, 1915, had a stunning effect on its Allied victims, but the Germans failed to follow up, and their method of delivery proved to be seriously flawed.

Dr. Ira Baldwin: Biological Weapons Pioneer
A pioneer in America's biological weapons program during World War II, the unassuming Dr. Ira Baldwin was critical to the development of methods that made large-scale, safe production of the deadly toxins possible.

Weaponry: Le Mat
Part revolver, part shotgun, the Le Mat was a favorite of several noteworthy Confederate officers during the Civil War.

Weaponry: The Rifle-Musket and the Minié Ball
The Civil War's deadliest weapons were not rapid-fire guns or giant cannon, but the simple rifle-musket and the humble minié ball.

Weaponry: Krummer Lauf
The Krummer Lauf allowed German infantry and motorized artillery units to actually fire around corners in World War II.

Weaponry: Lancers
Lancers fell into disuse after the Thirty Years' War until Napoleon employed lancer squadrons in his army, and then lance-bearing cavalry remained fixtures of Western armies until World War I.

Weaponry: The Rapier
Through its long history, the rapier was more a weapon of choice for gentlemen than soldiers.