Part 8/11:
After years of rapid advancements in nuclear physics, the critical moment arrived with the Trinity Test in July 1945. This test marked the first detonation of a nuclear weapon, providing empirical proof of the theories developed over the preceding decade. Witnessed by scientists, military personnel, and journalists, the explosion produced a light so intense it could be seen 200 miles away. The bomb released the equivalent of 25,000 tons of TNT, leading to widespread awe and horror among those who were present.