All Segments
Hydrogen bombs are TOO BIG to be worth making
4 segments available
From my conversation with Richard Rhodes, historian and author of "The Making of the Atomic Bomb." Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMdMiYsfHKo Or read the transcript here: https://www.dwarkeshpatel.com/p/richard-rhodes Twitter: https://twitter.com/dwarkesh_sp Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3oBack9 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3S5g2YK
Segments Timeline
The Limits of Hydrogen Bombs
Richard Rhodes discusses Edward Teller's calculations regarding the potential size of hydrogen bombs, revealing that a bomb exceeding 100 megatons would be impractical due to its destructive capacity. Teller concluded that such a bomb would waste energy by blowing out into space, as there are no military targets large enough to justify its use.
" The atom bomb, the pictures we see of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, that is simply the detonator of a modern nuclear bomb. Edward Teller was the co-inventor of the hydrogen bomb. He sat down and calcu..."
The Limits of Hydrogen Bombs
Richard Rhodes discusses Edward Teller's calculations regarding the potential size of hydrogen bombs. Teller determined that a bomb exceeding 100 megatons would be impractical, as its destructive power would exceed any military target's capacity, resulting in wasted energy. This segment highlights the scientific reasoning behind the limitations of hydrogen bomb development.
" The atom bomb, the pictures we see of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, that is simply the detonator of a modern nuclear bomb. Edward Teller was the co-inventor of the hydrogen bomb. He sat down and calcu..."
Oppenheimer's Perspective
In a thought-provoking exchange, Robert Oppenheimer reflects on the hypothetical use of a hydrogen bomb during the Hiroshima attack. He asserts that the target was too small to warrant such a powerful weapon, emphasizing the strategic limitations of nuclear warfare.
"there's no target on earth big enough to justify that from a military point of view. Robert Oppenheimer was asked, "If you'd had a hydrogen bomb for Hiroshima, wouldn't you have used it? And Oppen..."
Oppenheimer's Perspective on Targets
In this segment, Rhodes recounts a pivotal moment involving Robert Oppenheimer, who was asked if he would have used a hydrogen bomb on Hiroshima. Oppenheimer's response reveals a critical insight: the target was too small for such a massive weapon. This highlights the strategic considerations that influenced nuclear weapon usage during wartime.
"So he figured that it would just be a waste of energy because it would all blow out into space. So he figured that a bomb more than a hundred megatons would just be a total waste because there's n..."