How Robert J. Oppenheimer became the ‘Father of the Atomic Bomb’

Robert J. Oppenheimer, born on April 22, 1904, is known as the father of the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer was awarded a PhD in theoretical physics and was interested in the emerging field of quantum physics. As a scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, Oppenheimer was involved in the latest research in nuclear and quantum physics. In 1942, Oppenheimer became the Director of The Manhattan project, a project to develop a nuclear weapon that could be used against the Axis powers during work. His ambition, genius, and energy allowed him to lead one of the most ambitious projects modern physics had ever seen. After the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Oppenheimer saw the devastation that nuclear weapons could cause. A large part of his later years were spent trying to ensure that nuclear weapons would not be misused by any government of the world. Unfortunately, the Cold war era and fear of communism would turn the father of the nuclear bomb into a target for suspicion. Fun fact: Oppenheimer was often called Oppie by his students and fellow colleagues.