Why Enrico Fermi received the 1938 Physics Nobel

Why it was awarded

Enrico Fermi received the 1938 Nobel Prize in Physics for his demonstrations of the existence of new radioactive elements produced by neutron irradiation, and for his related discovery of nuclear reactions brought about by slow neutrons. The contribution became an important reference point for later work in the field. This achievement represents one of the major advances recognized in physics at the time.