Overview
The extraordinary life of the true genius behind the atomic bomb, radar, and much more—a maverick Australian scientist who changed the course of history.
On August 6, 1945, the United States launched the world’s first nuclear attack on Japan. J. Robert Oppenheimer would be remembered as the father of the atomic bomb, but it was Australian physicist Sir Mark Oliphant and his laboratory who discovered how it could be built. Faced with Hitler’s race to develop atomic weapons, Oliphant shared his research with Oppenheimer—an act that would shape history and haunt them both.
Oliphant’s brilliance extended far beyond nuclear science. He was instrumental in developing radar, a technology that saved Britain from Nazi invasion, and later played a key role in establishing the Australian National University. Yet his outspoken opposition to U.S. nuclear dominance after the war led to suspicion, CIA surveillance, and even a ban from entering the country he had helped so profoundly.
Drawing on personal interviews with Oliphant, bestselling author Roland Perry delivers a vivid portrait of one of the twentieth century’s greatest and most complex minds—a scientist torn between discovery and conscience, and a visionary who ultimately became a passionate advocate for peace and disarmament.
Praise for Roland Perry:
“Genius, complex, authentic—Roland Perry captures all the essential characteristics of this globally recognized Australian.” – Dr. Matt Agnew
“A superb work.” – John Howard on Monash: The Outsider Who Won a War
“Compelling and wholly absorbing.” – Bob Carr on Monash: The Outsider Who Won a War
“A sterling biography.” – Herald Sun on Don Bradman
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