Science owes Ernest Rutherford proof of the existence of the atomic nucleus, which the scientist defined as a “fly” inside the “cathedral” of the atom. Despite its insignificant size, most of the atom’s mass, and therefore energy, is concentrated in the nucleus. Rutherford is considered the best experimentalist of his era: he estimated the age of the Earth based on radioactive decay, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1908 for solving this mystery. He was the first to achieve the artificial transformation of one element into another, bringing to life the thousand-year-old dream of chemists. After his death, the Crocodile, as his colleagues and students called him for his strong character, was buried in Westminster Abbey. The New Zealander rests next to the great figures of English science.