All articles tagged with #atomic bombs
Originally Published 2 years ago — by The Wall Street Journal
The question of whether the US could have ended World War II by demonstrating the power of atomic bombs rather than dropping them on Japanese cities is explored in the movie "Oppenheimer." While the idea of a demonstration is briefly mentioned, the full story is more complex and has implications for the current spread of nuclear weapons.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by IFLScience
Trinitite is a green-red glass formed by sand that was melted by the heat of atomic bombs. It contains silicate dioxide, melted quartz grain, feldspar, and other minerals. Trinitite is mildly radioactive and can be used as forensic evidence to understand the composition and origin of nuclear bombs. Scientists have recently discovered that it contains "forbidden" quasicrystals, which have an unusual atomic structure not seen in typical crystals. Quasicrystals are known to be formed by meteorites and in labs, but atomic blasts also pack enough punch to create them.