Black Holes, Bombs, and Beyond - The Interconnected History of Astrophysics and Nuclear Weapons Research

Explore a fascinating lecture that delves into the intertwined history of astrophysics and nuclear weapons research at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Learn about J. Robert Oppenheimer's groundbreaking theoretical studies on black hole formation and neutron star structure, conducted before his leadership of the Manhattan Project. Discover how computational physics emerged as a crucial tool at the dawn of the computer age, serving both classified weapons development and public astrophysics research. Examine how Los Alamos scientists applied their expertise across two distinct domains, using similar computational techniques to predict bomb yields and understand supernova explosions. Join Michael Nowak from Washington University in St. Louis' Physics Department as he illuminates the surprising connections between these seemingly disparate fields in this 84-minute Saturday Science Lecture.