Atom Bomb, Gita, and Destruction: When Science Turned to Spirituality

National News: In the shadow of present-day nuclear fears, especially after U.S. strikes on Iran’s suspected atomic sites, the origin story of the world’s first atomic bomb is both timely and terrifying. The atomic bomb, mankind’s most destructive invention, wasn’t just a military tool—it reshaped geopolitics forever. During World War II, the United States launched the ultra-secretive Manhattan Project in 1942, fearing Nazi Germany might develop a nuclear weapon first. Thousands of scientists and engineers worked around the clock under top secrecy to build a weapon that could end the war—and reshape the future.

Oppenheimer, the Mind Behind the Bomb

At the heart of the Manhattan Project was J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist with a deep love for Indian philosophy. He wasn’t just the technical brain but the moral conscience too. His team in Los Alamos, New Mexico, developed the bomb using uranium-235 and plutonium-239. When the first test succeeded, his reaction wasn’t triumph—it was Sanskrit: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.

"The First Test: Trinity Ignites the Nuclear Age

The world’s first atomic explosion occurred on July 16, 1945, in the New Mexico desert under the codename Trinity. The blast equaled the force of 20,000 tons of TNT. Eyewitnesses described a searing flash brighter than the sun and a fireball that lit the desert like day. It marked the dawn of the nuclear age.

First Use in War: Hiroshima and Nagasaki

On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped ‘Little Boy’—a uranium-based bomb—on Hiroshima, killing over 80,000 instantly. Just three days later, ‘Fat Man’, made of plutonium, devastated Nagasaki, claiming 40,000 more lives. By August 15, Japan surrendered, ending World War II. But the long-term death toll from radiation crossed 200,000.

Why the Atom Bomb Is So Deadly

Atomic bombs unleash energy by splitting (fission) or merging (fusion) atomic nuclei. Even a few kilograms of nuclear material can release the energy of thousands of tons of TNT. The result? Intense heat, shockwaves, radiation, and electromagnetic pulses. One bomb, one city—wiped off the map. That’s the terrifying scale.

The World’s Nuclear Stockpile in 2025

Today, nine countries possess nuclear weapons. According to the 2025 report by the Federation of American Scientists, the total count stands at 12,331 warheads. Russia and the U.S. still hold over 88% of them. India, Pakistan, and North Korea also maintain growing arsenals amid rising tensions in Asia and the Middle East.