Reflections on a Long-Ago Tour of Los Alamos and the Trinity Atomic Test Site

Introduction

The article, „Reflections on a Long-Ago Tour of Los Alamos and the Trinity Atomic Test Site,“ written by Richard Rhodes, is a personal reflection on his visit to the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Trinity Atomic Test Site in New Mexico. The article was published in The New Yorker on July 16, 2018.

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Rhodes begins his article by describing his visit to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he was given a tour of the facility by a physicist named John. Rhodes describes the laboratory as a „city on a hill,“ with its own schools, hospital, and even a ski slope. He notes that the laboratory was founded during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project, which was responsible for developing the first atomic bomb.

Rhodes describes the laboratory as a place of contradictions, where scientists worked on both peaceful and destructive technologies. He notes that the laboratory was responsible for developing the first nuclear reactor, which was used to generate electricity, as well as the first atomic bomb, which was used to destroy the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The Trinity Atomic Test Site

Rhodes then describes his visit to the Trinity Atomic Test Site, where the first atomic bomb was detonated on July 16, 1945. He notes that the site is now a national historic landmark and is open to the public for tours.

Rhodes describes the site as a „sacred place,“ where the destructive power of the atomic bomb was first unleashed. He notes that the site is marked by a simple stone obelisk, which bears the inscription, „Trinity Site – Where the World’s First Nuclear Device Was Exploded on July 16, 1945.“

Rhodes reflects on the fact that the atomic bomb changed the world forever, ushering in the nuclear age and the threat of global annihilation. He notes that the bomb was both a triumph of science and a tragedy for humanity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Rhodes reflects on his visit to Los Alamos and the Trinity Atomic Test Site, noting that it was a sobering experience. He notes that the scientists who worked on the atomic bomb were both brilliant and flawed, and that their legacy is a complex one.

Rhodes ends his article by quoting the physicist Robert Oppenheimer, who famously said, „Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.“ Rhodes notes that Oppenheimer’s words are a reminder of the awesome power of the atomic bomb, and of the responsibility that comes with wielding such power

Original article Teaser

Reflections on a Long-Ago Tour of Los Alamos and the Trinity Atomic Test Site

Original color-exposed photograph by Jack Aeby, July 16, 1945 – Public Domain I turn 60 this year. My health is generally good, though I have aches and pains from a form of arthritis. I’m not optimistic enough to believe that the best years of my life are ahead of me, nor so pessimistic as to assume that the best years are behind me. But I do know this, however sad it may be to say: the best years of my country are behind me. Indeed, there are all too many signs of America’s decline, ranging from mass shootings to mass incarceration to mass hysteria about voter fraud and “stolen” elections to massive Pentagon and police budgets. But let me focus

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