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Explosive Facts About Oppenheimer, ‘Father Of Nuclear Bombs’

Published

3 years ago

July 22, 2023

Julius Robert Oppenheimer, a foremost scientist in the Manhattan Project, which eventually brought an end to the second World War, has been celebrated as the father of the “nuclear bombs.”

A brilliant scientist, Oppenheimer’s work remains a reference point as the first atomic bomb was detonate in New Mexico during the famous Trinity test of 1945.

Christopher Nolan, the director of Oppenheimer’s much-anticipated biopic, named him “the most important person who ever lived.”

In an interview with New York Times, Nolan noted that if the fears of a nuclear war come to pass, “Oppenheimer will be the man who destroyed the world. Who’s more important than that?”

Starring, Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer” hit the theatres on Friday, 21st of July. The Universal film is based on the Pulitzer-winning book, “American Prometheus”, written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.

Here are some explosive and notable facts about Oppenheimer, a legendary scientist and the ‘father of atomic bombs.’

Oppenheimer was born on the 22nd of April, 1904, to German Jewish immigrant parents. His mother, Ella Friedman, was a painter, and his father, Julius S. Oppenheimer was a wealthy German textile merchant, who migrated to the United States in 1888.

He graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University in 1925 with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He obtained a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Göttingen, Germany in 1927. He also lectured at the University of California, Berkley, and became a full professor at the age of 32.

Oppenheimer is noted for his contribution to the theory of neutron stars, quantum fields, black holes, and the interactions of cosmic rays.

He is also known for his remarkable work with Born Oppenheimer approximation in molecular dynamics, the Oppenheimer–Phillips process in nuclear fusion, and the first prediction of quantum tunneling. His 1966 article, titled, “On Albert Einstein”, revealed his close friendship with Einstein, one of the greatest scientists of all time.

The project arose from fears of Germany building a nuclear bomb before the Western Allies could do the same. Three years after the German Nuclear Weapons Program was established, the United States Commenced the Manhattan Project and Oppenheimer was made head of the research and development team in 1942.

Oppenheimer was able to work with both scientists and the military to create the first nuclear bomb. He code-named the first atomic bomb test “Trinity”, which was conducted in the Jornada del Muerto desert in New Mexico.

American biologist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, married Oppenheimer in November 1940, shortly after divorcing her third husband.

Their first son, Peter, was born in May 1941, and their second child, Katherine, was born in December 7, 1944. During his marriage, Oppenheimer was involved in an affair with Jean Tatlock, an American psychiatrist whom he dated before his marriage to Kitty.

The legendary scientist was a surprising pick for the Manhattan Project because of his German heritage as well as communist leanings. He had several communist affiliations including his wife, and mistress, Tatlock. He was therefore kept under close surveillance by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for most of his career.

Oppenheimer, shortly after the bombing of two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, wrote a letter to the U.S. Secretary of War, Henry Stimson in which he expressed, in strong terms, his opposition to the action. He proposed to Stimson that further research on nuclear weapons should be banned. In 1949, he also strongly opposed the creation of hydrogens bombs which were more powerful than their atomic predecessors.

Due to his Communist affiliation, and suspected loyalty to the Soviet Union, the Oppenheimer security hearing was held in 1953. He was afterwards stripped of his security clearance which gave him access to top secret restricted data in the U.S. This decision was recently revoked in December 2022, by the United States Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, who stated that the judgement was the result of a “flawed process”.

Oppenheimer had a smoking habit and was diagnosed with throat cancer in late 1965. Despite undergoing an array of treatments including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy in 1966, he fell into a coma on February 15, 1967, and died three days later at the age of 62.

Christopher Nolan’s reputation for blockbusters such as “Interstellar”, makes “Oppenheimer” a highly anticipated film. Nolan is known for his aversion to Computer-Generated imagery and has assured viewers an unparalleled cinematic experience through his use of cutting-edge technology for analogue effects.

Asides Murphy, other Hollywood stars in the movie include Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, and Matt Damon.

The movie comes in the wake of Russian aggression in Ukraine, which has seen the resuscitation of nuclear threats.
VANGUARD

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Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria

Published

2 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.

He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.

“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.

“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.

“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.

DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

News

IGP Orders Officers Display Name Tag On Uniform, Gives Update On State Police

Published

2 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Tunji Disu, has ordered all police personnel to always have their name tags on their uniforms for easy identification.

Disu disclosed that only police personnel who are undercover are exempted from displaying their name tags.

Speaking on Tuesday, Disu said: “All police officers should have their name tags. All of us on the high table have our names apart from the undercover among us so if you look at all the Commissioners of Police we have our name tags, so it’s not our standard.

News

Court Orders SERAP To Pay DSS Operatives N100m For Defamation

Published

7 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has ordered a non-governmental organization, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, to pay N100 million as damaged to two operatives of the Department of the State Services, DSS, for unjustly defaming them in some publications.

The court also ordered SERAP to tender public apologies to the defamed officers,
Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, in two national newspapers, two television stations and its website.

Besides, the organization was also ordered to pay the two operatives N1 million as cost of litigation and 10 percent post-judgment interest annually on the judgment sum until it’s fully liquidated.

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory gave the order on Tuesday while delivering judgment in a N5.5 billion defamation suit instituted against SERAP by the DSS operatives.

The judge found SERAP liable for unjustly defaming the two DSS operatives with allegations that they unlawfully invaded its Abuja office, harassed and intimidated its staff, in September 2024.

In the offending publication on its website and Twitter handle, SERAP alleged that the two operatives unlawfully invaded and occupied its office with sinister motives.

The judge held that the publication was in bad taste especially from an organization established to promote transparency and accountability, as nothing in the publication was found to be truthful.

The DSS staff had listed SERAP as 1st defendant in the suit marked CV/4547/2024. SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, was listed as the 2nd defendant.

In the suit, the claimants – Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele – accused the two defendants of making false claims that they invaded SERAP’s Abuja office on September 9, 2024..

Counsel to the DSS, Oluwagbemileke Samuel Kehinde, had while adopting his final address in the mater urged the judge to grant all the reliefs sought by his client in the interest of justice.

He admitted that although the names of the two claimants were not mentioned in the defamation materials, they had however established substantial circumstances that they are the ones referred to in the published defamation article by SERAP on its website.

The counsel submitted that all ingredients of defamation have been clearly established and the offending publication referred to the two officials of the secret police.

However, SERAP, through its counsel, Victoria Bassey from Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, law firm, asked the court to dismiss the suit on the ground that the two claimants did not establish that they were the ones referred to in the alleged defamation materials.

She said that SERAP used “DSS officials” in the alleged offending publication, adding that the two claimants must establish that they are the ones referred to before their case can succeed.

Similar arguments were canvassed by Oluwatosin Adefioye who stood for the second defendant, adding that there was no dispute in the September 9, 2024 operation of DSS in SERAP’s office.

He said that since SERAP in the publication did not name any particular person, the claimants must plead special circumstances that they were the ones referred to as the DSS officials.

Besides, he said that there is no organization by name Department of State Services in law, hence, DSS cannot claim being defamed adding that the only entity known to law is National Security Agency.

The claimants had in the suit stated that the alleged false claim by SERAP has negatively impacted on their reputation.

The DSS also stated, in the statement of claim, that, in line with the agency’s practice of engaging with officials of non-governmental organisations operating in the FCT to establish a relationship with their new leadership, it directed the two officials – John and Ogunleye – to visit SERAP’s office and invite them for a familiarization meeting.

The claimants added that in carrying out the directive, John and Ogunleye paid a friendly visit to SERAP’s office at 18 Bamako Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja on September 9 and met with one Ruth, who upon being informed about the purpose of the visit, claimed that none of SERAP’s management staff was in the country and advised that a formal letter of invitation be written by the DSS.

John and Ogundele, who claimed that their interactions with Ruth were recorded, said before they immediately exited SERAP’s office, Ruth promised to inform her organisation’s management about the visit and volunteered a phone number – 08160537202.

They said it was surprising that, shortly after their visit, SERAP posted on its X (Twitter) handle – @SERAPNigeria – that officers of the DSS are presently unlawfully occupying its office.

The claimant added, “On the same day, the defendants also published a statement on SERAP’s website, which was widely reported by several media outfits, falsely alleging that some officers from the DSS, described as “a tall, large, dark-skinned woman” and “a slim, dark skinned man,” invaded their Abuja office and interrogated the staff of the first defendant (SERAP).

John and Ogundele stated that “due to the false statements published by the defendants, the DSS has been ridiculed and criticised by international agencies such as the Amnesty International and prominent members of the Nigerian society, such as Femi Falana (SAN)”.

“Due to the false statements published by the defendants, members of the public and the international community formed the opinion that the Federal Government is using the DSS to harass the defendants.”

They added that the defendants’ statements caused harm to their reputation because the staff and management of the DSS have formed the opinion that the claimants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation and are therefore, incompetent and unprofessional.

The claimants therefore prayed the court for the following reliefs: “An order directing the defendants to tender an apology to the claimants via the first defendant’s (SERAP’s) website, X (twitter) handle, two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard) and two national news television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television) for falsely accusing the claimants of unlawfully invading the first defendant’s office and interrogating the first defendant’s staff.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N5 billion as damages for the libellous statements published about the claimants.

“Interest on the sum of N5b at the rate of 10 percent per annum from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is realised or liquidated.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N50 million as costs of this action.”