Atomic Expert Explains "Oppenheimer" Bomb Scenes | WIRED
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- čas přidán 16. 07. 2023
- Today Alex Wellerstein, an historian of nuclear weaponry, breaks down the science behind Christopher Nolan’s 2023 film “Oppenheimer.” Which historical moments were drawn from as inspiration for what became the film-and how accurate are the depictions? Hear directly from an atomic expert how the science of "Oppenheimer" was translated onto the screen.
Director: Lisandro Perez-Rey
Director of Photography: Francis Bernal
Editor: Richard Trammell
Expert: Alex Wellerstein
Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi
Associate Producer: Paul Gulyas, Kameryn Hamilton
Production Manager: Eric Martinez
Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila
Camera Operator: Rahil Ashruff
Sound Mixer: Gabe Quiroga
Production Assistant: Noah Bierbrier
Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen
Additional Editor: Paul Tael
Assistant Editor: Andy Morell
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Wired’s guests have been killin it recently
😂
1945 isn't "recently"...
Completely💯💯💯
I saw what you were doing
Good one my man😂
Yes they have
The mix of science and history is the perfect combo for any movie
the history of medical science will become an instant horror movie
@@ejmtv3 just like your mom's verginyyyyyyy 😂
if you're attempting to post garbage comments, at least spell things right@@penelopephelange
@@penelopephelange?
idk, love stories? Action movies like John Wick?
The person he's talking about at 6:13 who looked on purpose was, in fact, Richard Feynman who is the one in the movie who says that the cars windshield will block the UV rays. This actually happened and according to Feynman's autobiography, he immediately regretted, quickly dropping to the floor of the car and dazed by an afterimage immensely visible even with his eyes closed.
This video was criminally short for how entertaining he was. Bring him back please Wired.
The movie was amazing, although everyone knew it was gonna go "well" the tension was horrible I got goosebumps. The psychological horror Oppenheimer must have experienced was also portrayed beautifully
Endgame is better movie, don’t understand why people even watch any other movie.
Endgame was #1 rated and best selling
@@militaryjunkie6207 If you're talking about Avengers Endgame you just compared 2 entirely different genres. Congratulations on getting "Idiot of the year" title
@@tomatodestroyer5507
Endgame best movie in the world, avengers endgame I would pay 1,500$ to go see in theaters, I would donate 1 million to the actors.
@militaryjunkie6207 doesn't change the fact that you compared 2 different movie genres. I agree endgame was good, but it you're still an idiot
Endgame best movie
I could totally see this guest teaching a class about nuclear physics and cinema.
He taught my Introduction to science and technology class last year
He could hardly teach nuclear physics as he is a historian not a physicist. Not to say he is not a good at explaining and story telling, but he lacks knowledge
@@missstrangequark "and cinema".... Perhaps a new field .. not nuclear physics per se.
@@missstrangequarkWhat do you when your time is limited? Let me think... Oh! You simplify!
He is my professor! And I do research under him!
I loooove how informative the guest is! He is funny, witty and nerdy and so freaking smart and definitely love what he do 😊
*... loves ... does
"Presenter"
Does "nerdy" mean he sounds like he knows what he's talking about?
Giigiidii
Alex Wellerstein was my Nuclear History professor in college. Absolutely phenomenal professor, and a true expert in the field. His lectures were some of my favorite in my years on campus. Glad to see him kill it here, too.
My dad was stationed near the atomic bomb test site in Kazakhstan in the 80s. He had skin cancer 20 years later. I don't think that the creation of atomic weapons is something the humanity must be necessary proud of..
Sorry to hear that about your dad but did you even watch the movie? It’s never stated to be something to be proud of. Just watch the ending alone and you’ll see that.
The nuclear bomb is a scientific achievement.
Slight spoiler!!!, He says in the movie that after creating the bomb they started a chain reaction to end the world. They aint proud.
I agree. Just because you can doesn't mean you should
The quirky thing ive noticed while watching the movie is that (spoiler alert) the detonation was delayed because of the rain, u see cillian and matt's character are talking about how loud the explosion will be while on the control shed. Cillian line was "we will hear it at exactly one hour and 58 mins". In the run time of the movie, the explosion was heard at the 1 hour 58 minute of the film.
You are wrong. They were talking about atmospheric ignition. Matt Damon wonders about the scientists joking about the bomb accidentally destroying the entire world. To which Openheimer says the chances are "near zero", but they can't be 100% sure with "theory alone". So he says, "[either way], we'll know in exactly 1 hour and 58 minutes".
Pretty sure no one in the entire movie even mentions how loud the explosion will be.
And I'd bet your time stamp is also wrong. Although close. Most versions I've seen has the Trinity test explosion around the 1 hour 52 minute mark. I guess the only variation would be the opening studio logos that could slide that time stamp around a bit.
can we also get a barbie expert to explain barbie outfit scenes
The “atmospheric ignition” discussion was the scariest part of the movie. Just imagining it gave me chills.
I took two of Prof. Wellerstein’s classes in college, super knowledgeable and I’m happy to see him getting a wired interview!
does he really master the nuclear weapon? i mean, he really making those bomb right?
Funny seeing you here! Was just commenting the same thing.
The third core, that wasn't used, is called the demon core. It also caused casualties in a controlled test about a year after the bombing of Japan.
If I am correct, at 1:50 is a photo of Louis Slotin, who is one of the said casualties of the demon core
@@Cariad1709 where were they gonna drop the third core?
@@savant7288 As far as I know it would be Japan, as well. But since japanese surrendered, they decided to keep it and do "some testing" because they "couldn't waste it"
“Tickling the dragon’s tail”
@@DuckYou69 Yeah you should probably not tickle dragon's tails, it can have various interesting side effects.
I took multiple classes with Dr. Wellerstein during college and you should know he is as fun and knowledgeable as he seems in this video! Plus, he always wants students to do well so I’m happy to see him in this spot, getting the recognition he should have.
In the end, Oppenheimer's dream has come true, atomic weapons brought longlasting peace. No one wants to be hit by such bomb, so all big wars are chased away. What was left then? Endless amount of small wars with nations who doesn't have such weapon...
*so far*
@@richardemerson8075 and for further long time ... Until elites has children. When elites becomes childless, then atomic bomb can be used. Don't forget it. That is why I don't like such elites going up on ladder...
The jury's still out. Nuclear proliferation is slowly happening--North Korea has the bomb, Iran probably will in the next 10 years.
Eventually some dumbass politician will probably decide to use it.
Yep,as Teller said it in the movie,until they build a bigger bomb. That applies even after his creation of hydrogen bomb.
so great to see the technical background behind what no doubt will be an amazing movie!
Great explainer video! I saw Oppenheimer at the event last week and let me tell you it’s a great movie but it’s frightening and nightmarish.
exactly what I wanted it to be
Can I ask you a few questions about it?
@@nmang0407 avoid spoilers my guy
@@savant7288 The bomb explodes.
@@RonPaul42069😂😂😂
The Nixie tube countdown timer is NOT "period appropriate". Nixie tubes weren't introduced until 1955, a decade after the Trinity test.
The Signal Corps BC-348 receiver it was shown sitting on top of was spot on, however
This is true.
Arggh! Why couldn't they get that right? I figure there may have at least been incandescent lamp projector digit displays by 1945.
@@hubbsllc Probably because it looks cool.
Oppenheimer and the Manhattan project really was the mantra "Peace through superior firepower." Oppenheimer broke with that idea after the war due to the effectiveness of nuclear weapons.
Sure...he was lobbying for the development of tactical fission weapons instead of fusion weapons...so, let's not give him a complete pass on totally reforming his point of view...
Just saw this in 70mm. Incredible. One of the most beautiful films. We can only hope for many biopic imitators. Amazing performances, Cillian is almost perfect in this role. Matt Damon plays a general, he's great, but it is Matt Damon playing a general.
@@markusnaum It is pretty good. It is long, but I was surprised how seldom I noticed.
@@markusnaumyes it is. absolutely amazing filmmaking across the board
also robert downey literally just playing tony stark again
Great comment - Matt Damon has played Matt Damon in every movie he's been in.
5:28. Those are not the X-Unit. That shows one of the 32 twin exploding bridgewire detonators. The X-Unit was a large assembly of high voltage capacitors to fire the exploding bridgewire detonators, along with the cascade of discharge tubes to fire the capacitors and the associated charging equipment to charge the capacitors. The X-Unit is to the far right, not completely in shot.
You used the word 'capacitors' three times in a single sentence. It was funny and informative to read at the same time 😂.
He's also wrong when he talks about the "big red button" to detonate the bomb. The entire process was automated, the button (which in reality was a knife switch) was used to abort the test in case something went wrong.
Amazing how that explosion was 100 percent real. No cgi! Imagine the sight for those actors!
Man I was waiting for his take on this. I took one of his classes back in college and absolutely loved every moment of it.
The ending of Oppenheimer was great. When they finally showed what He n Einstein were talking about, how they were worried before they tested the atom bomb that if the reaction didn't stop and it burned the atmosphere destroying the world, and then Oppenheimer said I'm afraid we did destroy the world referencing the fact that creating the bombs in the first place gave man the means to destroy themselves and the world!!!
And Strauss thinking everything is about him. The irony.
RDJ played that role perfect
The most important part of the project was the very ancient lines of the narrow gauge Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad. They had burrowed through the Rockies to find silver in an earlier era, and it turns out there's uranium down there too. Perfect security, no spy would go looking in Durango for advanced weapons research.
Nixie tubes are not "period appropriate." The nixie tube was patented in the early 1950s and did not become readily available until 1955.
There's always one scumbag like you
9:54 that's the demon core. Its got a whole other story about a particularly famous (careless) nuclear accident and claimed some lives without being detonated.
Louis slotin was experimenting on the demon core with a screwdriver
…after being told by Fermi or some other genius that if he kept using the screwdriver method, he was going to end up dead. 🤦🏻♂️
This guys enthusiasm is awesome! Loved his Intel
So excited to see the movie
Went and saw Oppenheimer two days ago, my only complaint is with the time line. The movie jumps back and forth so much, it is hard to follow. The acting and filming are fantastically realistic.
No, if you just pay attention to the movie it really isnt hard to follow.
That's just Nolan's style, he loves to complicate the screenplay. But that what makes them so cool (except tenet which was too complicated). Like we are watching the movie and thinking wtf is happening at the same time!
Good comment. Nolan is in love with non-linearity. He uses too much of it in all his movies. I didn't find the jumping around in time and perspective hard to follow, but rather jarring and momentum-draining. If you have a compelling story to tell, which this most definitely is, then for the love of science, just freakin' tell it! I would be very interested in seeing this movie edited in a chronologically-linear fashion. My guess is it would have been even better...
It wasn't hard to follow at all. Context clues
The US was manufacturing components for 1.6 nuclear weapons per month in July 1945. The plan was for five to be dropped on Japan for “demonstration” purposes and another twelve in November 1945 during the actual invasion.
With the end of hostilities in September 1945 only nine more were built by the end of 1945 (based on an audit in 1946).
The fourth bomb casing was on Tinian on the 15th of August when Japan surrendered with its “pit” in San Francisco on route to Tinian for use on August 19th.
Professor Wellerstein taught at my school and he's an awesome dude
Haven’t watched a good video like this in a while, anywhere on CZcams. Make more like these!
Wellerstein is awesome. Thanks for bringing him on to talk a little bit about the movie.
I usually avoid vids about all the ways humans destroy each other, but the first 20 seconds of this actually caught my interest enough that I kept watching despite the topic. Mr Wellerstein's descriptions and explanations are so interesting. And the last thing he said has given me new insight into the way some people view war. Great guest and video, thank you
Why
Me too
That's because you're weak, pathetic, and useless.
Great explanations and video. Top Class!
Excellent production 🎉
i could have easily watched 20 more minutes of this guy
Thank you for the explaining the rope trick. I had *always* wondered about that when I saw that video.
This is the video I was looking for, thank you
Excellent review. Thank you.
Absolutely nailed it. What a great vid.
Kinda wish the laws of physics would have made such a thing impossible, but here we are
His enthusiasm and knowledge makes this a pleasure to watch!
I didn’t know Paul Rudd knew so much about bombs.
Watching Oppenheimer on July 19, 12 pm (Philippine Standard Time). Can't wait!
Just watched this movie, awesome recap of the tech involved!
This is by far the most interesting video in a while! Really informative too
the movie isnt even out lmao and there's breakdowns. going to be a movie to remember.
Yes, Nixie tubes *look* period-appropriate. But they actually weren’t available until 1955.
Similar clocks had existed since the 30s.
Mechanical clocks were displayed on the original film.
@@EddieDubs Yes. But not these tubes; they're chosen to evoke a period rather than replicate it.
I just saw the movie and just wow. Very good and intense. Thank you for this video.
1:49
The man in that picture is Louis Slotin. He was killed by the demon core's 2nd criticality accident
Specifically it's the one at 9:33, the 4th core
I was hoping a video like this would come out haha
perfect man for the job in making this video
Thank you so much for posting this. The science behind atomic power fascinates me but still leaves to other questions. Here you’ve answered some. ❤👍🏽
I find the science behind nuclear weapons fascinating.. Wired’s guests have been killin it recently.
One of my favorite professors
"he wants peace... through war." ... that's got to be a little weight on someone's shoulders...
Lol. He looks so excited when he explains how you could turn the Earth into a sun.
“ I have become death, the destroyer of worlds” never a more appropriate quote has been chosen for anything before or after this…..
Great video, really informative.
Great quality content! Keep it up!
This was a great video to accompany a fantastic movie.
Thanks, I learned a bunch. I feel significantly smarter today after viewing this! Thanks Wired!
Very informative!
Amazing video 👍 TY !
The high explosive was mainly RDX not TNT. Later designs used the much more expensive HMX I believe.
Great video. Very accessible. Very interesting.
Where I live is where the plutonium reactors were (Hanford) and I’m looking forward to watching Oppenheimer as I never really took an interest in the history due to the all that was affected afterwards. Thank you for your easy to understand explanation and what it all truly entailed to create these world destroyers.
Nice information
I just screamed IS THAT JOSH PECK!
Didn’t realize he was in the movie 😅
prof wellerstein teaches at my university!! super cool video!!!
At 07:50
I do not see any holes to insert the EBW detonators in the explosive segments. Later, at 03:03, I can see at least one hole.
It's very interesting to look into the difference between the Hiroshima uranium 'rifle' type and the Nagasaki plutonium compression type. And then there are the thermonuclear weapons using a compression atomic device as the trigger for the thermonuclear reaction.
Astounding.
I remember that i keep getting on a watch list for looking AT THE EQUATIONS and devices
I recommend everyone watch Trinity and Beyond The Atomic Bomb Movie. It was epic. The 36 megaton atomic cannon was insane. Award winning documentary with an interesting history.
"Originally they wanted to drop the bombs at night to turn it into day for a moment to be more psychologically stunning."
I think a second sun showing up and being brighter than the first and then the city being gone and almost cartoonish soot outlines of people being left behind when it fades is psychologically stunning enough.
I felt that... lmao
music at 1;30 is the bassline to psycho killer by talking heads and i cant unhear it
Raw TNT is indeed peach in colour, that's why those that actually saw the explosive lenses would have said they were peach/orange in colour
Great video
This guy sounds like one of the Green (Vlog) bros, not just the jump cuts but the pacing/inflection/everything.
Great video!
I do have on issue with the labeling of "Atomic Expert"; Alex Wellerstein is a brilliant historian, but not trained in nuclear physics nor does he have any relevant technical background, which is to be quite honest what this title conveys. This is not to denigrate the quality of the video at all, which is excellent, but as we move forward with such a contentious topic it is important to distinguish these things
The video and the description label him as a historian
It's called click bait. You'll get way less views if the video was titled "Historian of Nuclear Weaponry".
Yeah, you're right. That atmospheric ignition he referenced was in regard to nitrogen being transmuted to magnesium. Pretty sure a physics expert would have known that.
That’s is how you promote confidence immediately upon learning to surf! Amazing
Loved the movie! Thanx for the informative video!
Pretty sure there was a lot explained between 4:43-4:45 but it appears edited.
Yeah, we need the extended cut of this video!!!
The trinity test scene gives me anxiety worse than a stranded salmon caught in the claws of a grizzly bear in Alaska 😮
Loved hearing him inform what hollywood got right or wrong.
This guy did a great job explaining everything, but I bet he was worried about bombing.
lol
Amazing guest
Something like the Manhattan Project shows we can push 20 years of progress in one year if we really want it. Imagine what we could achieve if we used similar projects for the betterment of humankind and the planet.
Who would pay for that and why? Capitalists have no incentive to invest in development.
@@Toy1er Well that's the elephant in the room you're not supposed to talk about of course.. The biggest inventions in the so-called capitalist countries usually don't come out of the market at all.
I love this guest so much 😭😭❤️
5:14 funny because its actually soviets nixie tubes
Now I have become death, destroyer of worlds
❤ Prof. Wellerstein
The movie hasn't even come out yet the hype is crazyyyy can't wait to see it tomorrow
(4:48) This easily, one of the most messed up pieces of trivia I've ever heard.
"Oh yeah, drop it on 'em at night, so they get a better view of one of the greatest tragedies of man kind."
Remember, the point of the bomb was to scare the crap out of Japanese and end the war. Lots of choices were made specifically to make the destructive power as visible as possible. In terms of killing people, we actually did more damage with conventional weapons in Tokyo.
The greatest tragedy would be better described as Japan starting a war with the United States they couldn’t possibly win, waging a cruel war, then expecting mercy when they are being defeated, and not knowing how to surrender. Yes it was a great tragedy.
That’s what happens when you don’t surrender when you surely should.
This video was explosive!
I always heard it was X-rays going down the tower cables that caused that effect.
I believe that's correct. The way this video is cut makes it confusing, he starts the sentence talking about the rope trick and then ends it talking about the shockwave interacting with the ground, but it's two separate things haphazardly mashed together.
This guy pulled me in till the very end
That's a guest!? I thought it was his own show. Great job