in alamogordo, new mexico, on july 16, 1945

we were lying there, very tense, in the early dawn, and there were just a few streaks of gold in the east; you could see your neighbor very dimly. those ten seconds were the longest ten seconds that i ever experienced. suddenly, there was an enormous flash of light, the brightest light i have ever seen or that i think anyone has ever seen. it blasted; it pounced; it bored its way right through you. it was a vision which was seen with more than the eye. it was seen to last forever. you would wish it to stop; altogether it lasted about two seconds. finally it was over, diminishing, and we looked toward the place where the bomb had been; there was an enormous ball of fire which grew and grew and it rolled as it grew; it went up into the air, in yellow flashes and into scarlet and green. it looked menacing. it seemed to come toward one. a new thing had just been born... - isidor rabi