The Manhattan Project | Scientific Achievement vs Ethical Responsibility

The Manhattan Project | Scientific Achievement vs Ethical Responsibility

It was still dark. The group of men felt the breeze getting warmer as the eastern horizon began to show signs of light. One of the men, tall with no expression, watched as final preparations were made to a large object in front of the group.

The others saw the anxiety in his face in a way that only those had had been around him could discern. The man walked forward, spoke with some of the technicians, and watched them haul it away. It was going to a tower, visible in the distance. Conversations around him continued, but only because it seemed like they had to. Somehow, the silence would have been louder.

Not long after, notifications came from the tower; an all clear was given. At 5:29 a.m., a flash of light that was so brilliant it could be seen from 200 miles away blossomed in the desert. The mushroom cloud rose 40,000 feet into the air, and the shock wave was felt 100 miles from ground zero. The man who all that morning had worn no expression, would later recall remembering a Hindu scripture in that moment: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."

Another man who witnessed the test described the overwhelming impression it left: "A new thing had just been born; a new control; a new understanding of man, which man had acquired over nature." Another observer said, "The lighting effects beggared description. The whole country was lighted by a searing light with the intensity many times that of the midday sun."

Humanity had crossed a threshold.

___

Join us as we show you the Manhattan Project, the reason behind the development of nuclear weapons, and the ethical implications of such an invention.


Episoder(397)

C.S. Lewis | Reluctant Apologist

C.S. Lewis | Reluctant Apologist

Three men walked along a tree-covered path in the early hours of a Sunday morning. Their conversation mixed with the sound of water flowing over rocks in a small river and the crunch of leaves beneath their booted feet. The words they spoke were steeped in deep knowledge of literature and philosophy as they wrestled with the nature of the universe and man’s place in it. The two Englishmen believed that God had created the world and sent His Son to die for mankind’s sins, while their Irish friend was a skeptic who did not believe in anything beyond this life. Then, as their talk turned to myths and the great stories of humanity’s past, a strong autumn wind came up suddenly and sent leaves scattering across the path. The sheer power of the gust filled their hearts with wonder, and they stopped and stood in its midst, as one of them put it, “appreciating the ecstasy of such a moment.” Join us as we teach you about Clive Staples Lewis, his life, his writing, and his lasting legacy.

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Bartolome de Las Casas | A Discussion on a Man Before His Time

Bartolome de Las Casas | A Discussion on a Man Before His Time

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Bartolome de Las Casas | A Man Before His Time

Bartolome de Las Casas | A Man Before His Time

Bartolomé de Las Casas was born in Spain in 1484 into a wealthy merchant family. At the age of eighteen, he emigrated with his father Pedro to the new Spanish colony on Hispaniola (the island that is today divided between the nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic). Pedro de Las Casas obtained a large farm, or hacienda, from the governor along with dozens of slaves. As landowners, the family participated in terrible slave raids across the West Indies to bring thousands of poor souls to the colonies. Bartolomé was disturbed by what he saw, and the horrors set him on a path toward vocal opposition to his government’s inhuman policies toward Native Americans. Join us as we teach you about Bartolomé de Las Casas and his lifelong pursuit of ending the mistreatment and enslavement of indigenous peoples.

10 Jan 202217min

The Christmas of 1914 | The Most Extraordinary Christmas Day

The Christmas of 1914 | The Most Extraordinary Christmas Day

Five months into the First World War, as the European powers were hurling their young men into barbed wire and machine-gun fire, Pope Benedict XV issued a plea "that the guns may fall silent at least upon the night the angels sang." The governments of the warring nations ignored the pontiff's call, and generals ordered their men to continue to fight while the rest of the Christian world celebrated the birth of Jesus. But as midnight approached on Christmas Eve in multiple sectors along the Western and Eastern fronts, officers spoke in hushed tones in English, German, French, and Russian about giving the soldiers under their command a break from the terrors of war. Artillery that had fired constantly since the late summer fell silent, and when the new day began, all was quiet. Join us as we teach you about the Christmas Truce of 1914. From all of us here at 15-Minute History, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. See you in 2022!

20 Des 20219min

Jordan Peterson | A Discussion on Order and Chaos

Jordan Peterson | A Discussion on Order and Chaos

Join us as we discuss Jordan Peterson, his influences, his writings, and his effect on society today.

13 Des 202121min

Special Discussion | Three Historical Figures

Special Discussion | Three Historical Figures

Join Jon and Dan as they each discuss three historical figures and their effect on world history.

6 Des 202152min

Jordan Peterson | Order and Chaos

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Join us as we teach you about Jordan Peterson, the effect of his philosophy on today's society, and the means by which he affects change (for the good or bad) across the globe.

29 Nov 202113min

Thanksgiving & the Art of Being Thankful

Thanksgiving & the Art of Being Thankful

Join us as we share three stories about Thanksgiving and explore the art of being thankful. This episode originally ran in 2019.

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