© 2026 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Our daily newsletter, delivered first thing weekdays, keeps you connected to your community with news, culture, national NPR headlines, and more.

When Oppenheimer tested the atomic bomb, he witnessed new age dawn alongside the toads of Trinity

A radiation warning sign near the Trinity atomic test blast site. (Courtesy Jeff Rice)
A radiation warning sign near the Trinity atomic test blast site. (Courtesy Jeff Rice)

The night before Robert Oppenheimer successfully tested the first atomic bomb, changing the course of history, a captivating sound could be heard in the distance.

Jeff Rice takes us to the Trinity Range site in New Mexico and explains its significance.

For the original story, click here.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Tags
Thanks to you, WUSF is here — delivering fact-based news and stories that reflect our community.⁠ Your support powers everything we do.