LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (KRQE) – One of the biggest movies of the summer, “Oppenheimer” has put the focus back on a historic chapter of New Mexico’s history. Amid interest in where the movie was filmed, an expected surge in attendance to the Trinity Site and other historic sites around Northern New Mexico, historians connected to Los Alamos have also been working to share more about J. Robert Oppenheimer’s through new publications.

This week on the New Mexico News Podcast, Chris McKee and Gabrielle Burkhart discuss Oppenheimer’s dynamic legacy with guests from Los Alamos National Laboratory. The lab’s lead historian offers an in-depth perspective on Christopher Nolan’s film about Oppenheimer, as well as why LANL created its own so to be released documentary about its first director.

Listen to the full discussion above to learn more about the pressure to create nuclear weapons during a deadly war, and how the conversation is still relevant today. How do his successors reflect on the ‘Father of the Atomic Bomb?’ What kind of mission are scientists at Los Alamos focused on today? 

J. Robert Oppenheimer’s visit to Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory Museum and Lecture, 1964. Courtesy: Los Alamos National Laboratory

This week’s podcast guests include: 

  • Brye Steeves – Director of the National Security Research Center
  • Alan Carr – Los Alamos National Lab’s Lead Historian
  • Dave Tietmeyer – Producer of the NSRC Oppenheimer documentary 

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Download new episodes of the New Mexico News Podcast every Tuesday, starting around 5:30 a.m., Mountain time. Episodes are available on most podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Podbean among others.

Having trouble finding the show? Try searching your favorite podcast player with the term “KRQE” or “New Mexico News Podcast” (without the quotes). You can also use the links above to find the podcast on each respective service or listen to the audio player at the top of this post.

If you have a question, comment, or suggestion as to who should be interviewed on the podcast, let us know! Email the hosts at chris.mckee@krqe.com or gabrielle.burkhart@krqe.com.