Nuclear weapons harness the immense energy released by nuclear fission or fusion reactions. In a fission bomb, a critical mass of fissilematerial is rapidly assembled, triggering a chain reaction that releases enormous amounts of energy in a fraction of a second. This easy-to-follow overview presents the basic science behind the atomic bomb. Read it here.
Who was the real Robert Oppenheimer?
No one person is more closely identified with the Manhattan Project than Robert Oppenheimer. This feature details Oppenheimer’s upbringing, the characteristics that made him indispensable to the project, and how his later years were marked by a conflict between pride in the project and a deep-seated hatred of weapons of mass destruction. Read it here.
The secret cities behind the atomic bomb
To get the Manhattan Project off the ground, the US government built three research facilities from the ground up. To preserve the secrecy of the project, those facilities were located in out-of-the-way locations. Finally, to house the thousands of workers at each location, the government also built “secret cities.” Find out more in this article.
A podcast series reveals the secrets of the Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project involved some of the most prominent figures of the 20th century, ended World War II, and ushered in the Atomic Age. This four-part podcast delves into everything from the project’s origins to the “secret cities” that sprung up around its three project sites—as well as how the project led Oppenheimer to oppose nuclear weapons. Listen here.
What does a nuclear bomb explosion feel like?
After World War II, governments conducted thousands of additional tests. Motherboard interviews veterans who were present at test sites in the Pacific, and shares their experiences of witnessing nuclear explosions. This video combines interviews with archival footage to convey what it’s like to be near a nuclear blast. Watch it here.
Footage of Russia's Tsar Bomba test
In 1961, the Soviet Union dropped what is thought to be the most powerful nuclear weapon ever actually tested. Named AN602, it is more commonly known as the Tsar Bomba. Russia released footage of the blast in 2020, and the video—shared here by the Reuters news agency—underscores the destructive power of nuclear warfare. Watch the footage here.
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
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