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Oppenheimer was born in [[New York City]]. He studied at [[Harvard University]], [[Christ's College, Cambridge]] and at [[University of Göttingen]]. In 1940, he married [[Katherine Oppenheimer|Katherine Puening]]. They had two children.
Oppenheimer was born in [[New York City]]. He studied at [[Harvard University]], [[Christ's College, Cambridge]] and at [[University of Göttingen]]. In 1940, he married [[Katherine Oppenheimer|Katherine Puening]]. They had two children.


He taught at the [[University of California, Berkeley]] where is works about theoretical physics became important for [[quantum mechanics]] and [[nuclear physics]]. He helped create the [[Born–Oppenheimer approximation]] for molecular [[wave function]]s, work on the theory of [[electron]]s and [[positron]]s, the [[Oppenheimer–Phillips process]] in [[nuclear fusion]], and early work on [[quantum tunneling]]. He also helped create the theory of [[neutron star]]s and [[black hole]]s, [[quantum field theory]], and the interactions of [[cosmic ray]]s.
He taught at the [[University of California, Berkeley]] where is works about theoretical physics became important for [[quantum mechanics]] and [[nuclear physics]].
helped create the [[Born–Oppenheimer approximation]] for molecular [[wave function]]s, work on the theory of [[electron]]s and [[positron]]s, the [[Oppenheimer–Phillips process]] in [[nuclear fusion]], and early work on [[quantum tunneling]]. He also helped create the theory of [[neutron star]]s and [[black hole]]s, [[quantum field theory]], and the interactions of [[cosmic ray]]s.

In 1942, Oppenheimer was hired to work on the [[Manhattan Project]] and in 1943 he was made director of the project's [[Project Y|Los Alamos Laboratory]] in [[New Mexico]]. His job was to help create the first [[nuclear weapons]]. On July 16, 1945, he was present at the first test of the atomic bomb, [[Trinity (nuclear test)|Trinity]]. In August 1945, the weapons were used against Japan in the [[Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki|bombings]] of [[Hiroshima]] and [[Nagasaki]].


After the successful testing of the atomic bomb in [[New Mexico]], United States, he said: "We knew the world would not be the same...now I am become [[Death (personification)|Death]], the destroyer of worlds."
After the successful testing of the atomic bomb in [[New Mexico]], United States, he said: "We knew the world would not be the same...now I am become [[Death (personification)|Death]], the destroyer of worlds."


After the war he lost his [[security clearance]] and his job due to concern over [[nuclear espionage]] out of [[anti-nuclear movement]]. He returned to teaching, and died of [[throat cancer]], aged 62.
the [[ ]] his [[nuclear ]] [[nuclear ]] [[ ]]

Oppenheimer was against the creation of the [[hydrogen bomb]]. During the [[Second Red Scare]], Oppenheimer's stances, together with his past connections with the [[Communist Party USA]], led to his [[security clearance#United States|security clearance]] being removed after a 1954 security hearing largely planned by [[Lewis Strauss]].<ref>{{harvnb|Stern|1969|pp=412–413}}</ref> This ended his access to the government's atomic secrets and his career as a nuclear physicist.<ref name="amspec-flynn">{{cite magazine |author-link=Daniel J. Flynn |date=December 20, 2022 |title=The Undeserved Rehabilitation of J. Robert Oppenheimer |url=https://spectator.org/undeserved-rehabilitation-j-robert-oppenheimer/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819155909/https://spectator.org/undeserved-rehabilitation-j-robert-oppenheimer/ |archive-date=August 19, 2023 |access-date=August 19, 2023 |magazine=[[The American Spectator]] |author-first=Daniel J. |author-last=Flynn}}</ref>

In December 1963, he was given the [[Enrico Fermi Award]] by President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]].<ref name="Fermi2">{{cite news |title = Oppenheimer Gets Praise of Johnson with Fermi Prize |newspaper = [[The New York Times]] |first = John W. |last = Finney |date = December 2, 1963 |pages = 1, 22 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1963/12/03/archives/oppenheimer-gets-praise-of-johnson-with-fermi-prize-charity-and.html |url-access = subscription |access-date = August 19, 2023 |archive-date = August 18, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230818205835/https://www.nytimes.com/1963/12/03/archives/oppenheimer-gets-praise-of-johnson-with-fermi-prize-charity-and.html |url-status = live }}</ref> In 2022, the federal government gave back Oppenheimer's security clearance.<ref name="NYT-20221216">{{cite news |last=Broad |first=William J. |title=J. Robert Oppenheimer Cleared of 'Black Mark' After 68 Years |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/16/science/j-robert-oppenheimer-energy-department.html |date=December 16, 2022 |url-access=limited |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=December 17, 2022 |archive-date=August 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807094055/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/16/science/j-robert-oppenheimer-energy-department.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

After the war he lost his [[security clearance]] and his job due to concern over [[nuclear espionage]] out of [[anti-nuclear movement]]. He returned to teaching, and died of [[throat cancer]] in [[Princeton, New Jersey]], aged 62.<ref name="nyt-obit">{{cite news |title=J. Robert Oppenheimer, Atom Bomb Pioneer, Dies |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1967/02/19/issue.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 19, 1967 |via=TimesMachine |url-access=subscription |pages=1, 66 |access-date=August 19, 2023 |archive-date=September 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921154808/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1967/02/19/issue.html |url-status=live }}</ref>


In 2023, [[Christopher Nolan]] directed a [[Oppenheimer (movie)|movie based on Oppenheimer's life]] with Irish actor [[Cillian Murphy]] playing Oppenheimer.
In 2023, [[Christopher Nolan]] directed a [[Oppenheimer (movie)|movie based on Oppenheimer's life]] with Irish actor [[Cillian Murphy]] playing Oppenheimer.

==References==
{{reflist}}


== Other websites ==
== Other websites ==

Revision as of 07:30, 18 March 2024

"Oppenheimer" redirects here. For the movie, see Oppenheimer (movie).
J. Robert Oppenheimer, "the father of the atomic bomb" was the first director of Los Alamos National Laboratory, beginning in 1943.

Julius Robert Oppenheimer (April 22, 1904 – February 18, 1967) was an American physicist of Jewish descent. He is best known as the scientific director of the Manhattan Project. In World War II, the project built the first nuclear weapons. That is why Oppenheimer is called "the father of the atomic bomb".

Oppenheimer was born in New York City. He studied at Harvard University, Christ's College, Cambridge and at University of Göttingen. In 1940, he married Katherine Puening. They had two children.

He taught at the University of California, Berkeley where is works about theoretical physics became important for quantum mechanics and nuclear physics.

Oppenheimer helped create the Born–Oppenheimer approximation for molecular wave functions, work on the theory of electrons and positrons, the Oppenheimer–Phillips process in nuclear fusion, and early work on quantum tunneling. He also helped create the theory of neutron stars and black holes, quantum field theory, and the interactions of cosmic rays.

In 1942, Oppenheimer was hired to work on the Manhattan Project and in 1943 he was made director of the project's Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico. His job was to help create the first nuclear weapons. On July 16, 1945, he was present at the first test of the atomic bomb, Trinity. In August 1945, the weapons were used against Japan in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

After the successful testing of the atomic bomb in New Mexico, United States, he said: "We knew the world would not be the same...now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."

In 1947, Oppenheimer became the director of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. Later in his career he was known for supporting international control of nuclear power to stop nuclear proliferation and a nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union.

Oppenheimer was against the creation of the hydrogen bomb. During the Second Red Scare, Oppenheimer's stances, together with his past connections with the Communist Party USA, led to his security clearance being removed after a 1954 security hearing largely planned by Lewis Strauss.[1] This ended his access to the government's atomic secrets and his career as a nuclear physicist.[2]

In December 1963, he was given the Enrico Fermi Award by President Lyndon B. Johnson.[3] In 2022, the federal government gave back Oppenheimer's security clearance.[4]

After the war he lost his security clearance and his job due to concern over nuclear espionage out of anti-nuclear movement. He returned to teaching, and died of throat cancer in Princeton, New Jersey, aged 62.[5]

In 2023, Christopher Nolan directed a movie based on Oppenheimer's life with Irish actor Cillian Murphy playing Oppenheimer.

References

  1. ↑ Stern 1969, pp. 412–413
  2. ↑ Flynn, Daniel J. (December 20, 2022). "The Undeserved Rehabilitation of J. Robert Oppenheimer". The American Spectator. Archived from the original on August 19, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  3. ↑ Finney, John W. (December 2, 1963). "Oppenheimer Gets Praise of Johnson with Fermi Prize". The New York Times. pp. 1, 22. Archived from the original on August 18, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  4. ↑ Broad, William J. (December 16, 2022). "J. Robert Oppenheimer Cleared of 'Black Mark' After 68 Years". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 7, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  5. ↑ "J. Robert Oppenheimer, Atom Bomb Pioneer, Dies". The New York Times. February 19, 1967. pp. 1, 66. Archived from the original on September 21, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2023 – via TimesMachine.

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