Option 1: Enrico Fermi

Enrico Fermi was an Italian physicist who made significant contributions to the development of nuclear energy and the production of atomic weapons. However, he did not specifically recognize that a large quantity of energy is released as a result of the fusion of hydrogen nuclei to form deuterium.

Option 2: Glenn Seaborg

Glenn Seaborg was an American chemist who played a crucial role in the discovery and synthesis of transuranium elements. While his work contributed to our understanding of nuclear fission and the production of energy through nuclear reactions, he did not specifically recognize the energy released by the fusion of hydrogen nuclei.

Option 3: Hans Bethe

Hans Bethe, a German-American physicist, made significant contributions to the field of astrophysics and nuclear physics. He is most notably known for developing the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis, which explains the energy-producing processes occurring within stars, including the fusion of hydrogen nuclei to form deuterium. As the correct answer, Bethe recognized that this fusion reaction releases a large quantity of energy.

Option 4: Werner Heisenberg

Werner Heisenberg, a German physicist, is primarily known for his contributions to quantum mechanics, specifically the development of the