J. Robert Oppenheimer

This captivating biography delves into the pioneering work of J. Robert Oppenheimer, from his early scientific achievements to leading the Manhattan Project and his complex legacy as the mind behind the atom bomb.

The brilliant theoretical physicist, J. Robert Oppenheimer is now known primarily for his work on the development of the atomic bomb from 1942-45 at Los Alamos in New Mexico. Though fascinated by the processes that created the bomb, he was horrified by its impact and the devastation wrought on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Chris McNab looks at the body of prior work that led to Oppenheimer's recruitment to the Manhattan Project as well as the development of the bomb itself. It also reflects on how his political views subsequently put him in opposition to the US government and military factions and ultimately ended his career as a nuclear physicist, despite his talents.