The Oppenheimer movie, which is already in Peruvian theaters, tells the story of Robert Oppenheimer —a U.S. physicist and leader of the team that created the first atomic bomb— who arrived in Lima in May 1962. This article reveals the details of his visit and the meetings he held.
After the ceremony, Oppenheimer gave a press conference, in which he underscored that atomic energy could be used for peaceful purposes in Peru to, for example, cool factories in places along the Andes mountain range where there is no water.
Joined by then-UNI Rector Mario Samame Boggio, the U.S. scientist refused to talk about the accusations he faced in 1954 for his opposition to developing the hydrogen bomb and for his alleged friendship with communist students in 1930.
During his activities in Lima, Oppenheimer was accompanied by his wife Katherin, as well as the head of the Peruvian Atomic Energy Board, General Jorge Sarmiento, and UNI professors.
The New York-born physicist, who was 58 years old at that time, told reporters that they could make all the questions they wanted.
"If I cannot answer one, I will say so," Oppenheimer stated.
Second visit to Lima
It is worth noting that Oppenheimer paid a second visit to Peru in February 1964 to participate at the Conference on Nuclear Spectroscopy and Solid State Physics, which took place at Crillon Hotel in downtown Lima.
(END) LIT/RMB/MVB