j. robert oppenheimer of what was about to unfold when these weapons were used in combat. owing that this destruction would be unworldly. (wind whistling softly) bird: his secretary, anne wilson, told me this story that i'm still struck by. after the trinity test, she's walking to work one day with robert. he's a few steps ahead of her, and he's suddenly muttering, "those poor little people, those poor little people." she stops him and says, "robert what are you muttering about?" and he looked at her and-and explained that, you know, the bomb was going to be used on a japanese city or two, and the victims were going to be civilians, a whole city. this was obviously on his mind, painfully on his mind. and yet we know, that same week he was meeting with the general who were in charge of the bombing mission, and he was instructing them exactly how the bomb should be dropped and at what altitude it should be detonated for the maximum destructive power. wellerstein: it's hard to reconcile the sensitive, morally upright, humanistic professor with the guy who recommends that the b

j. robert oppenheimer. an evolving legacy as one of the most complicated figures in history. decades may pass before historians come to some consensus about the details of oppenheimer's life and what those details mean. last summer witnessed the release of christopher nolan's oppenheimer, arguably most elaborate and most costly cinematic exploration of the academic vocation. just prior to the release of the first trailer for that film in december 2020 to the united states department, energy issued an order vacating. the 1954 atomic energy commission decision in the matter of j. robert oppenheimer. the decision that resulted in oppenheimer being stripped of his security clearance. our panelists will grapple the status of oppenheimer's legacy in the wake of that order. the release of the film and ultimately turn their attention to the nature, the relationship, the scientific community shares with the federal government. our panel this evening includes three distinguished guests who, in their own ways are argua

j. robert oppenheimer: i have been asked whether, in the years to come, it will be possible to kill 40 million by the use of atomic bombs in a single night. i am afraid that the answer to that question is yes. -♪ -(clock ticking)

j. robert oppenheimer who led the effort to build the atommic bomb.ography was 25 years in the making. >> wow. >> incredible story of just how one person can change history. if you're into history and then just profiles and historical figure, this is an amazing one. >> your turn. >> love books and fashion. this big book of basketball fashion. it's this remarkable look at how high fashion and basketball are intertwined, as well as a deep dive into how major cultural influences like the civil rights act of 1964 and the birth of r&b also influenced style and the sport. >> and you are always so fashionable. >> i'll take that. [ laughter ] thank you, eva. >> somara, your pick. >> okay, guys. so i haven't finished reading it as of yet. it is on my 2024 to-do list. just like it was on my 2023 list. [ laughter ] this is my steven hawking called the universe in a nut shell. it is a brilliant way to talk about the mysteries of the universe. it might feel daunting to read about black holes, but he writes with such wit and so much heart that this can be a great r