343. Oppenheimer: The Father of the Atom Bomb

“Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” This was J. Robert Oppenheimer’s reaction to the first atomic bomb test in July 1945, marking the beginning of the nuclear age. Oppenheimer, an American theoretical physicist of Jewish-German descent, was in charge of the American nuclear project, leading the Los Alamos laboratory and tasked with developing “the bomb” in 1943, following his involvement in the Manhattan Project. Join Tom and Dominic as they delve into the life of the man behind “the weapon to end all wars”.

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[voltzar]

“they bring in generators, cyclotrons, and lab things-

“what’s a cyclotron?”

“it’s an important lab-thing.”

😂

[kevin-ra]

Never thought I'd hear Tom Holland call Oppenheimer a rapey-nerd lmao. I love this pod cheers

[Kwb]

If only Oppenheimer had insisted to Grove that they conduct an experimental thermonuclear explosion in "The Valley of the Erudite Sphincter."

[beback_]

Lol "a chap called Niels Bohr" one of the greatest physicists of all time

[champagnesupernova]

Hello from southern New Mexico, near Trinity Site.

[LooseTheremin]

Quite right Tom ! All Oppy needed to do was pull himself together and snap out of it ! Still the fact that the Father of the Atom Bomb was a homicidal maniac probably did him no harm when he was being considered for the job.

[baltasarnoreno]

YES, heavy water was an essential material in nuclear physics for producing a sufficient quantity of fissile isotopes needed to make a bomb. And YES, there was a major production facility in Norway for producing heavy water. The plant was eventually put out of action by Allied bombing raids.

[nomorephones]

"Let's put a veil on it", cracked me wide open, by now I've ditched the history. I'm here for the advanced English proverbs.

Cheers, Israel.

[messrsandersonco]

I don't think it's fair to say Oppenheimer was the most intelligent man on earth. That award goes to Einstein. Oppenheimer's superpower was his ability to bring people together and his exceptional administration - attributes which are not normally associated with scientists - then or now! 😉

[gosiachaaban]

In Sye Ryder's book: Child of my love, she writes about using the bomb against Japan and according to her it felt then the right thing to do. It was meant to stop the war and she also gives an example of Japanese practice of using their school children to detonate minefields - they would be brought to a minefield to walk in front of the

[radiantmessenger]

Did I hear that right? A scientist didn't understand the directions, that he had to wear an oxygen mask in a Bomber?

[greyforge]

"So he's a faintly rapey nerd." I'm so glad Tom occasionally throws in lines like this to leaven the unbearably posh and erudite tone

[barbararice]

You can tell from his appearances on films he's as mad as a march hare, the point that all the top boffins are is neither here nor there however 😾

[girtbysea]

To paraphrase the cliche, what would have happened if he had been a better poet.

[kindnesslove]

That's some wiiiild personal information !!

[johnjohn-knkt]

Honestly annoying when they make fun of historical figures and mock them. Making fun of him for being awkward around girls like... They know what they look like right?

[deepakkhare]

Very interesting. However your intermittent chitchat, attempted lighthearted diversions like the Regan thing and mention of Emily blunt etc break the flow of the narrative. The Spinoza and sphincter refference in my opinion was in poor taste.