This is the story of Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb. A brilliant man marred by pain and suffering. As tragic as some parts are, his life can teach us some valuable lessons. 

Nuclear War averted in 1983: https://youtu.be/uAOFH62JQl0

Some clarifications: 

- On black holes. 
While others such as Scharszchild were first to describe the theory of blackholes, Oppenheimer's work was the first full description of how blackholes formed. "Oppenheimer proposed the very first collapse model to describe how a star could collapse into a black hole." 
- Xavier Calmet, a professor of physics at the University of Sussex in England

- On the photoelectric effect. 
His work wasn't so much a discovery of the effect but more an observation using the effect that revealed some truths about the Hydrogen atom, so apologies for that error on my part.

- On Unit 731. (Including planned attack on America)
https://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/17/world/unmasking-horror-a-special-report-japan-confronting-gruesome-war-atrocity.html

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Hi, welcome to another episode of ColdFusion.

Throughout history, few individuals have wielded the power to shape and shake the world as profoundly as J.

A man of remarkable intellect and deep-seated conflicts, Oppenheimer's life danced precariously between the shadows of morality and the blinding light of scientific progress.

Renowned as the father of the atomic bomb, he was the driving force behind the Manhattan Project, The project responsible for delivering the most devastating weapon the world had ever seen.

His story however, is not 1 of unmitigated glory, it's a tale of ambition, anguish, genius, guilt, success and scandal.

Was he a hero who helped end a bloody world war, or just a villain who unleashed untold destruction?

The answer, like Oppenheimer himself, is complex and intriguing.

He's a man of many stories, so get comfortable as we uncover the life and legacy of Robert Oppenheimer.

Born on April 22nd, 1904 in New York City to wealthy German-Jewish immigrants, Julius Robert Oppenheimer was a prodigy in the truest sense.

He showed a profound knack for science and literature at a young age.

His father ran a business importing textiles and made a lot of money doing it.

To give you an idea of how rich his family was, their New York penthouse had paintings of Van Gogh and Picasso on the wall.

The issue with Robert was that he grew up spoiled.

Everything he wanted his parents would get for him, and this caused emotional problems later in life.

In school, Robert was extremely bright, but boastful, and he was bullied as a result.

At summer camp, other boys would strip him of his clothes and make him sleep in an ice house overnight.

Oppenheimer withdrew inwards, putting his mind towards physics.

He once told his brother, quote, I need physics more than I need friends, end quote.

He was gifted, however, and raced through school, absorbing material at a frightening pace.

After a brief time at Harvard, he would attend Cambridge University.

Being in a different country, the young student was isolated and lonely.

His family wasn't there to spoil him anymore.

Around this time, Robert had broken up with his long-term girlfriend and was having bitter arguments with his mother.

At this point, he fell into a depressed state.

The shy young man grew mentally unstable and the cracks began to show.

1 of his few friends, Francis Ferguson, came to visit.

Ferguson would mention to Oppenheimer that he was about to get engaged.

Upon hearing the news, Oppenheimer snapped.

How was his friend doing so much better than he was?

The skinny rich kid launched on Ferguson, knocking him to the ground and attempting to choke him in a fit of unhinged rage.

Ferguson was twice the size of Oppenheimer, so he flicked him off and told him to grow up, though this was just a warning sign of things to come.

Now Oppenheimer had a tutor named Patrick Blackett.

Blackett wanted Oppenheimer to do hands-on lab work, which he hated.

Oppenheimer developed a seething hatred for Blackett.

Things would come to a head in 1926 when Oppenheimer injected an apple with poison and placed it on Blackett's desk.

He then would leave the room and went on vacation.

Thankfully, Patrick never ate the apple, but while on vacation, Oppenheimer broke down and confessed his crime to his friends.

News got back to Cambridge University and the administrators decided to press charges for attempted murder.

That would have probably been the end of Oppenheimer, except his rich father managed to talk his son out of the situation.

All that he got was probation and an order to seek a counsellor.

Things would improve however when he moved to Guttengarden University in 1926.

Here, he would come into contact with the legendary Max Born, who himself had recently coined the term quantum mechanics.

For context, at the time Born would mentor Werner Heisenberg of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle and Enrico Fermi of the Fermi Paradox.

While also under the mentorship of Max Born, Oppenheimer excelled in theoretical physics.

He had found his calling and the dissatisfaction in academics lifted and his state of mind vastly improved.

Oppenheimer graduated at age 23 with a PhD in physics.

In just 2 years he had published over a dozen papers.

After his time in Germany, Robert became a professor at Cal Berkeley.

Robert had a tendency to leap from topic to topic and it really frustrated his colleagues.

He'd randomly drop physics for months to read philosophy or learn the Sanskrit language.

He also threw himself into left-wing politics, even throwing fundraisers to communists in the Spanish Civil War.

These associations with Communist Party members would later significantly impact his life and career.

1 of his friends, Freeman Dyson, would later recall, Oppenheimer just had the inability to sit still and just see things through.

But even with these traits, Oppenheimer became somewhat of an academic icon because of his brilliant mind.

But despite personal struggles, Oppenheimer's stature in the scientific community continued to rise.

In 1941 he was invited to join the Manhattan Project, the US government's ultra-secret program to develop an atomic bomb.

Accepting this role would forever change the course of his life and indeed the course of history.

The genesis of nuclear warfare began to take shape in the United States with a singular pivotal letter penned by physicist Leo Slizslat and endorsed by none other than Albert Einstein.

The letter, dispatched to President Franklin D.

Roosevelt in August of 1939, described how an atomic bomb would theoretically be possible.

Within the correspondence, there was also a dire warning.

Germany had already begun to stockpile sources of uranium from Czechoslovakia.

This suggested that the Nazis were on a path to an atomic bomb of their own.

The gravity of this communication coupled with the escalation of World War II called for an urgent response from the United States and in 1942 the Manhattan Project was formed.

This was a colossal scientific and military collaboration endeavor to forge a weapon of unimaginable power, a deterrent so formidable that it would end the war and discourage future conflicts.

Central to this historic mission was the appointment of J.

It was an unparalleled leadership role, marking the beginnings of his legacy.

Oppenheimer seemed an unconventional choice for the project director.

He was a theoretical physicist, not an engineer.

And to add to this, his political associations raised some eyebrows among security agencies.

Regardless, General Leslie Groves, the military head of the project, saw in Oppenheimer the rare combination of brilliant intellect, charisma and administrative expertise.

As a leader, his quick mind proved to be a huge asset.

With his intellect, he could pierce through all the noise and immediately get to the heart of a problem.

Without this unique mindset, the atomic bomb may have never come to be.

Oppenheimer's first major challenge was the establishment of the secret laboratory where the bomb would be designed and constructed.

He chose the isolated location of Los Alamos, New Mexico.

He envisioned it as a hub of scientific innovation.

It would be in these remote surroundings that Oppenheimer transformed from an academic into a leader.

In a way, the fate of the entire world was in his hands.

Oppenheimer would rise to the challenge and managed to show remarkable leadership skills.

He bridged gaps between scientists of different disciplines, managed egos and defused conflicts.

Despite the intense pressure, he maintained a focus on scientific community, even creating a school for the children of his team and ensuring the overall welfare of those under his charge.

While the technical challenges of the Manhattan Project were formidable, Oppenheimer's role extended beyond the scientific realm.

He managed to navigate the political intricacies of a high-stakes, government-funded endeavor.

He also had to grapple with the ethical implications of his work, implications that carried the heaviest of burdens.

Developing the atomic bomb required overcoming 2 primary technical challenges.

1 was obtaining enough material capable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction.

And the second was engineering a device that could trigger those chain reactions.

Uranium-235, a naturally occurring but scarce isotope, and plutonium-239, a synthetic element, were identified as suitable materials.

The reason for the choice of these elements was due to their ability to start a sustained or runaway chain reaction when hit with a neutron particle, a feat that was thought to be impossible just 2 decades earlier.

A single particle starts the reaction, splitting the uranium atom.

Here now is the release of energy as heat and blast.

But here, here are free neutrons driven out with tremendous speed.

And provided there is sufficient U-235 present, what science calls a critical mass, those neutrons bombard other uranium atoms causing them to split and split still others.

Over a million billion billion atoms exploding within 2 seconds.

But extracting Uranium-235 from the much more prevalent Uranium-238, or producing Plutonium-239 in a nuclear reactor, was a colossal task.

A task that required unprecedented industrial efforts.

So the engineers set to work designing, testing, and ultimately creating a mechanism that rapidly collected masses of these materials.

Next was overcoming the detonation issues.

It was a difficult challenge, but the engineers and scientists eventually figured it out.

These technical feats represented the apex of scientific and engineering innovation at the time.

It was July 16th, 1945, and all was still in the New Mexican desert.

Suddenly, an explosion ripped through the calm air and a terrifyingly loud roar followed.

The first atomic bomb, codenamed the Gadget, had just been successfully detonated at the Trinity test site.

The mushroom cloud rose 12 kilometers in altitude and the shockwave blast could be felt over 160 kilometers away.

As the mushroom cloud billowed into the sky, Oppenheimer reportedly quoted a line from the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita.

He said, quote, Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.

This sentiment captured the awe, terror and sorrow that came from the creation of complete devastation.

In this moment, the global population was unknowingly ushered into the atomic age.

The US government had actually planned to cover up the event, the sound and sight of which would be hard to completely ignore.

A writer for the New York Times, William Lawrence, was drafted into the Manhattan Project just for this cover-up.

He had multiple statements written, 1 of which involved the accidental deaths of hundreds.

Ultimately, he would write that the explosion and heat wave was caused by a, quote, "...remotely located ammunition magazine containing a considerable amount of high explosives and pyrotechnics." end quote.

The ultimate culmination of the Manhattan Project's efforts was the creation of 2 types of atomic bombs, Little Boy, a Uranium-235 weapon, and Fat Man, a Plutonium-239 weapon.

The decision to deploy these newly developed atomic weapons was not taken lightly.

In mid-1945, World War II was grinding into its sixth year, and despite Germany's surrender in May, Japan continued to resist.

The Pacific War had taken a heavy toll and the brutal island-hopping campaigns had shown that Japan was willing to fight to the last man.

An invasion of mainland Japan, codenamed Operation Downfall, was predicted to result in hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Allied casualties.

Meanwhile, intelligence had discovered something chilling.

Reports emerged that the Japanese Army had developed a biological weapons program, Unit 731.

The facilities conducted horrific experiments on human subjects, and worst of all for the United States, in about 1 month they were preparing a biological attack on the American West Coast.

The payload would contain fleas carrying the bubonic plague, 1 of the most dangerous diseases in world history.

These revelations added an extra layer of urgency and danger.

Just as the war was reaching its peak in April of 1945, President Roosevelt would die, and it was President Harry S.

Quickly, he was briefed about the Manhattan Project and the unprecedented destructive power of the atomic bombs.

Truman and his advisors were faced with a devastating choice.

Use the atomic bomb and potentially end the war swiftly, but at a terrible humanitarian cost.

Or, proceed with a land invasion, which would likely result in as many, if not more, horrifying casualties.

Ultimately, as we all know, the decision was made to drop the atomic bombs.

It was August 6th, 1945, and Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima.

Immediately following the bombing of Hiroshima, the President of the United States delivered an ultimatum to the Japanese government.

At 1058 the morning of August 9th Japanese time, the second atomic bomb was exploded over the industrial seaport city of Nagasaki."

And 3 days later, Fat Man was dropped on Nagasaki.

Both cities were completely devastated and the human toll was catastrophic.

When Little Boy detonated approximately 600 meters above Hiroshima, it unleashed a blast equivalent to about 15, 000 tons of TNT instantly obliterating 1, 300 hectares of city center.

An estimated 70, 000 people were killed instantly.

The ensuing firestorm consumed the city, causing a death toll estimated at 140, 000 by the end of 1945.

Nagasaki suffered a similar fate on August 9th, when Fat Man was detonated.

Though the bomb was more powerful, its damage was less extensive due to the city's hilly geography.

Nonetheless, an estimated 40, 000 people died instantly.

The eventual death toll rose to approximately 70, 000 by the end of the year.

In both cities, many who initially survived would suffer from severe burns, injuries from the blast, and radiation sickness.

There was untold suffering and death in the following weeks, months and years.

And just a point to note, even though the Japanese military and government were guilty of horrific war crimes, the Japanese civilian population was innocent.

Within weeks, Japan surrendered, bringing an end to World War II.

I deem this reply a full acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration, which specifies the unconditional surrender of Japan.

In Chicago, more than a million sing and dance in the streets, in the biggest celebration the Windy City has ever seen.

Seattle, let loose all the pent-up emotions of 3 years and 8 months of war.

The use of atomic bombs marked a devastating new chapter in warfare, exposing humanity for the first time to the potential of complete self-destruction.

Throughout this period Oppenheimer found himself in the midst of an escalating debate within the scientific community and the military hierarchy.

The ultimate decision to drop the bombs was in the hands of the political and military leaders.

Still, he was deeply affected by the loss of life and the destruction caused by the weapons he had helped create.

In the aftermath of World War II, Oppenheimer became a symbol of the new atomic age.

His name would be forever intertwined with the Manhattan Project and the dawn of nuclear weapons, the most destructive weapon in human history.

But he was also a man deeply conflicted about the consequences of his work.

Post-war, Oppenheimer ascended to a position of significant influence in shaping America's nuclear policy.

In 1947, he was appointed as the Chairman of the General Advisory Committee of the newly established Atomic Energy Commission.

Here, he would become a powerful advocate for the international control of nuclear power to avert a global arms race.

In his role as the Chairman of the General Advisory Committee of the Atomic Energy Commission, Oppenheimer became increasingly vocal about his concerns regarding the escalation of nuclear weapons development.

He was particularly opposed to the development of the hydrogen bomb.

He viewed it as a weapon of genocidal proportions.

His position put him at direct odds with influential figures of the American military and government, 1 of whom was Louis Strauss, chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, and Edward Teller, often referred to as the father of the hydrogen bomb.

They viewed Oppenheimer's stance as a hindrance to America's strategic interests during the Cold War.

And things would only get more challenging for Oppenheimer.

Because of his past affiliations with left-leaning political organisations, coupled with his opposition to the hydrogen bomb, there was increasing suspicions about his loyalty and political alignment.

These concerns came to a head in 1953 when Oppenheimer's security clearance was suspended.

This was under the directive of President Eisenhower and a special committee.

A hearing was held to determine if Oppenheimer's security clearance would be reinstated.

The hearings, held in 1954, were a public spectacle.

They pitted former colleagues and friends against each other and drew widespread attention.

Oppenheimer was accused of having communist ties and a threat to national security, but These claims were never proven.

Despite significant support from the scientific community, the verdict of the hearings was against him and his security clearance was not reinstated.

This decision effectively ended Oppenheimer's direct influence on nuclear policy and it marked a dramatic shift in his career and reputation.

Despite the earlier public humiliation, he remained a respected figure in the scientific community.

Sadly, Oppenheimer's health began to deteriorate shortly after, and In 1966, he was diagnosed with throat cancer.

During his last weeks on Earth, while bedridden in 1967, Robert would reflect on his life.

While he was a professor back in the 1930s, Robert's inability to focus made him miss out on so much.

In the early 1930s, he co-wrote a paper on what's called the photoelectric effect.

It's a description of how light rays can eject electrons from metals.

It's the very mechanism that makes our solar panels work today.

Instead of realising what an amazing discovery he had on his hands, Oppenheimer got bored and moved on to another topic that he thought might be more alluring.

Meanwhile, the graduate student that he was working with kept chipping at the problem.

He wasn't as smart as Oppenheimer, but he had more discipline.

He tidied up the paper and fixed some of the technical problems.

And the impatient Oppenheimer missed out.

But this was nothing compared to his next blunder.

He and a colleague discovered black holes by accident in 1939.

Strangely, the paper was handed in on the same day that Germany attacked Poland.

Oppenheimer and his colleague were playing around with Einstein's relativity equations and they noticed something funny.

It predicted that if a massive star burned through all of its fuel and collapsed on itself, the gravitational field it created would be so intense that light itself couldn't escape.

This was the discovery of the black hole and it was the first academic paper on the subject.

Well once again, he forgot all about it and moved on to something else which he thought would be more interesting.

Black holes are very important in physics and are increasingly relevant today.

If he just stuck with his efforts, who knows what could have been.

This behavior would haunt Oppenheimer in the very last days of his life.

The saddest part of Oppenheimer's life wasn't the humiliation of the hearings or even the detonation of the atomic bombs.

His friends who knew him best knew that the real tragedy of his life was the wasted potential.

They knew of Oppenheimer's frustrating brilliance, but he just simply couldn't focus and see things through.

His friends knew that he got distracted with the fame and the politics after the Manhattan Project.

He had left his true calling, which was physics.

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Oppenheimer's Controversial Legacy