How did Oppenheimer die? Atomic bomb scientist's cause of death explained
Many film fans have questions about the real-life figure of J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Oppenheimer: Opening Look
American physicist and the ‘father of the atomic bomb’, J. Robert Oppenheimer is the subject of Christopher Nolan’s thrilling new blockbuster.
Irish actor and Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy takes on the titular role as the chain-smoking scientist as he commanders the Manhattan Project during World War II.
Oppenheimer is slated to be one of the biggest movies this summer, alongside Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, with film fans eager to know about the real man behind the bomb.
How did Oppenheimer die?
Nuclear scientist Oppenheimer died on February 18, 1967 at the age of 62.
The acclaimed physicist died in Princeton, New Jersey on the grounds of the Institute for Advanced Study.
He died from throat cancer after suffering from the illness the year before, leading to a deterioration in his heath and eventual passing.
Oppenheimer was known for being a chain smoker and is thought to have often not eaten during intense periods of concentration.
He lost a lot of weight during the Manhattan Project with his weight dropping to 115 pounds, according to The New York Times.
During the Manhattan Project, his friends said Oppenheimer survived on a diet of gin, coffee, cigarettes and martinis, the LA Daily Post reported.
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After being a decorated nuclear physicist, all of this was stripped from Oppenheimer when he was suspected of being a Soviet spy in 1954 and lost his security clearance from the Atomic Energy Commission.
This period was incredibly stressful for Oppenheimer and led to a decline in his health.
Oppenheimer is also said to have suffered from periods of depression during his lifetime.
He struggled with his mental health, particularly while studying at Cambridge University.
Things came to a head when he left an apple filled with poisonous laboratory chemicals on his tutor’s desk, according to the BBC.
Although the tutor didn’t eat the apple, Oppenheimer was only allowed to remain at the university if he sought help from a psychiatrist.
He was diagnosed with psychosis but the psychiatrist said treatment wouldn’t be beneficial to him.
Instead, Oppenheimer is said to have solace in literature which offered some peace of mind throughout his struggles.
Oppenheimer is released in movie theatres from July 21
