Harwell has always blown the world of science wide open. For over three quarters of a century we’ve advanced human understanding of the forces that govern our universe. It’s a proud tradition of innovation and leadership born from the tenacious pursuit of knowledge
1946

The Atomic Energy Research Establishment is founded

1947

GLEEP test reactor generates nuclear energy for the first time in western Europe

1947

Harwell’s first tenant, Medical Research Council (MRC), sets up its Radiobiology Unit

1953

Harwell’s Electronics Division assemble CADET, the world’s first transistorised computer

1961

Dr Mary Lyon, working with the MRC, discovers X chromosome inactivation

Walk Harwell’s history

The Harwell Heritage trail commemorating Harwell’s 75th anniversary. It is a 13 waypoint trail along a 4km circular route which will take approx. 60-90 minutes on foot. 

1973

Dr Martin Wilson and team start manufacturing ‘Rutherford Cable’, now world famous and a fundamental component inside Large Hadron Collider at CERN

1975

Frozen Embryo and Sperm Archive is established by researchers at MRC

1980

Pioneering development of the lithium-ion battery

1990

Major nuclear research projects finish at Harwell

1992

Computer scientists at Harwell discover the world’s largest prime number

2000

Harwell Innovation Centre opens with support from the UK Atomic Energy Authority

2004

RAL Space engineers the Ptolemy instrument for the Philae lander on the European Space Agency‘s (ESA) Rosetta expedition

2005

ISIS Neutron Source conducts the first experiment to develop glass to replace bone transplants

2006

Science and Innovation Minister Lord Sainsbury announces £26 million Government investment in construction of a new Research Complex at Harwell (RCaH)

2007

Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is founded, taking control of RAL

2010

MRC researchers discover that the FTO gene leads to obesity

2013

The Satellite Applications Catapult is established by Innovate UK

2014

ESA’s Rosetta mission is first to rendezvous with a comet and lands Philae probe on its surface

2015

R100’s Space Test and Integration Facility opens, the largest vacuum chambers in Europe

2020

Visualising the atomic structure of COVID-19

Watch Harwell’s history

Harwell has always blown the world of science wide open. For over three quarters of a century we’ve advanced human understanding of the forces that govern our universe. It’s a proud tradition of innovation and leadership born from the tenacious pursuit of knowledge.