Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, July 19, 2023
Posted: 19th July 2023
July 19, 2023
Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer, two of the Bulletin’s founders.
“I have never discussed [nuclear weapons policy] candidly with any responsible group, whether scientists or statesmen, whether citizens or officers of the government, with any group that could steadily look at the facts, that did not come away with a great sense of anxiety and somberness at what they saw.”
J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb” wrote this in the Bulletin’s pages back in 1953 while calling for more public discussion on nuclear weapons. At the time he could not have imagined that this week we would be preparing for the release of a Hollywood blockbuster about his life that could serve as a jumping off point for an international conversation on the issue.
Oppenheimer served as the founding chair of the Bulletin’s Board of Sponsors and his complex legacy as an advocate for containing the nuclear risk he helped unleash is worth deep discussion.
In contribution to that conversation, the Bulletin is looking not just at the upcoming film but back at our own history. We hope that you can join us and invite others to join to. We promise, that there is something for everyone from the casual movie goer to the seasoned nuclear expert.
A special magazine issue on Oppenheimer
The July issue of our premium magazine explores: “Oppenheimer: The man. The movie. The legacy.” In it you’ll find interviews with Christopher Nolan, a Manhattan Project scientist, and Downwinders; essays about Oppenheimer’s psychology and Hiroshima; pieces from our archive written by Oppenheimer and his contemporaries; and more. Read more.
This special issue of the Bulletin’s magazine will be available to all readers for the next few months. For permanent access, and access to our archive going back to 1945, subscribe here.
Join the Bulletin and The Elders on August 3rd at 6:00 p.m. CT in going “Beyond Oppenheimer” with an online discussion about our shared nuclear history, current challenges, and possible futures.
Speakers include Setsuko Thurlow, a Hiroshima survivor and campaigner for ICAN, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017; Juan Manuel Santos, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016, a member of The Elders, and former President of Columbia; and professor Robert Rosner of the University of Chicago, with Bulletin President and CEO Rachel Bronson acting as moderator. Learn More.
Go even further with the “Oppenheimer Files”; this limited run newsletter series dives into the Bulletin’s archives for articles by and about Oppenheimer, as well as coverage of nuclear history, pop culture, and more. Learn More.
Your ongoing support ensures we stay on mission and get the job done.
Thank you!