The Real Science of the Nuclear Age - Behind Oppenheimer

Explore the fascinating and often misunderstood history of nuclear science in this comprehensive lecture by theoretical physicist Frank Close at The Royal Institution. Journey through the potentially devastating science and history of the nuclear age, beginning with Henry Becquerel's accidental discovery of a faint smudge on a photographic plate in 1896 that sparked the atomic age. Discover how the innocent and collaborative pursuit of nuclear power was overwhelmed by the politics of the 1930s, leading to the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and opening the way to an even more terrible possibility: the thermonuclear bomb. Learn about the real stories behind common myths surrounding nuclear science, including whether atomic energy in a gram of radium could really power a ship across the Atlantic, how a traffic light near the Royal Institution may have inspired Leo Szilard's chain reaction concept, and whether Oppenheimer truly deserves the title "father of the atomic bomb." Gain insights into the deep history of nuclear science from 1895-1965, examining how scientific discoveries became entangled with global politics and warfare, ultimately creating weapons capable of destroying all life on Earth. Close, an Emeritus Professor at Oxford University, former head of theory at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and winner of the Royal Society's Michael Faraday Prize, brings his expertise in theoretical physics and science communication to illuminate this complex and crucial chapter in scientific history.