Edward Teller - Witnessing the test explosion (90/147)

To listen to more of Edward Teller’s stories, go to the playlist: • Edward Teller (Scientist)
Hungarian-American physicist, Edward Teller (1908-2003), helped to develop the atomic bomb and provided the theoretical framework for the hydrogen bomb. He remained a staunch advocate of nuclear power, calling for the development of advanced thermonuclear weapons. [Listener: John H. Nuckolls]
TRANSCRIPT: We decided - it was a very obvious decision - we were not quite certain whether our somewhat difficult design would be... would work, we better test it. And the test was scheduled for the middle of July. I was invited to look at the test, not with the group that was closest and was operating the actual atomic bomb on the top of a tower. I was with another group of sort of senior people. I say senior - I was of course not yet 40 years of age - and there we were on the early morning of the 16th July 1945, looking at a spot where something was going to happen. We were instructed to lie down with our backs to the bomb, not look at it. I did not obey. I did lie down, but looked straight at the point, but we were also given welding glasses to shut out too much light. I used those and had an extra pair of dark glasses and I was among those who... who expected a big yield - I put suntan lotion on my face. And the shot was canceled. It rained out. Then we waited and a little time before the sun went up, it was still quite dark, the rain had stopped, we go ahead. Countdown worked fine up to minus 30 seconds, then whatever went wrong, our group no longer got the countdown. There was half a minute to go. It was an infinity. It was clear that the shot did not work - and then it did, just on time. Thirty seconds was too long to wait and I very distinctly remember my first impression. I looked straight at it. It was a weak point of light that spread and started to rise and my first feeling was of disappointment- is that all? Then I remembered all the nice absorbers I had in front of my eye. I did not take them off, I tipped the welding glasses and looked down on the sand next to me and you know, if in a dark room, you lift the curtain and the full daylight is streaming in, that was what I saw and then I was impressed. By and by, in a matter of quite a few seconds the light faded and we saw the fire ball rising, dissipating. We didn't talk much. I am sure that all of us, the two dozen of us on that spot were thinking: soon this will be used and at that time it will not be an experiment.

[@bryanc1975]

0:56 you can literally see the expression on his face of all the memories flooding back. This was truly an amazing guy.

[@TransoceanicOutreach]

He was an asshole, as everyone who ever worked with him said.

[@NaticzkaKaminskaHenryDolphin]

@@TransoceanicOutreach No, he wasn't. It's primitive judgment, and even Nolan portrays it as a little more complex, although not enough. Also, almost all great physicists can be called a-holes. Have you ever met one? if you did, you know.
You better pick up a few books about all these Project Manhattan guys, not the only one on which Nolan based his movie, but more, and read it. Then, you can have a say.

[@NaticzkaKaminskaHenryDolphin]

Some comments here are so primitive and black and white. Teller was a fascinating figure, like many of these Project Manhattan guys. No, he wasn't simply a jerk. It's primitive judgment, and even Nolan portrays it as a little more complex, although not enough. Also, almost all great physicists can be called a-holes. Have you ever met one? If you did, you know. You better pick up a few books about all the Project Manhattan guys, not the only one on which Nolan based his movie, but more, and read it. Then, you can have a say.

[@Sir_Typesalot]

After everything Oppenheimer did, Teller had the nerve to stand in front of a hearing, and utter the words, that “in his own opinion (Oppenheimer) would present a threat to national security” and only because Oppenheimer wasn’t cheerleading for the H-bomb. In Switzerland we call this “Rufmord” (“social assassination” or “reputation murder”) and only high school girls and psychotic scumbags do that to people with good intentions. And to quote my Doktorvater (doctoral thesis supervisor): Teller was a piece of sh.

[@richinoable]

My favorite Martian