Courtesy/Zhen Huang

By ZHEN HUANG
Los Alamos

In Los Alamos, we have a bridge, the only bridge. It is a steel bridge across the Los Alamos Canyon at Otowi Crossing built in 1951. It connects the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a giant scientific research complex that is also the base of nuclear weapons development, and Los Alamos County, a small town sitting at the Pajarito Plateau surrounded by the peaceful National Forest and sacred land of Native Americans. 

The official name of the bridge is called Omega Bridge. “Omega” is the name of an experimental nuclear reactor at the Los Alamos National Laboratory used for developing nuclear weapons and was demolished in 1992. For Los Alamos local folks, as well as visitors and tourists, we have got some alternative nicknames for the bridge, such as “Half Moon Bridge”, “Rainbow Bridge”. Clearly, the nicknames not only more perfectly describe the shape of the bridge, but also carry the hope of the People: we wish the world to have forever bright rainbow and moonlight skies but never again a darkened hell filled with Omega-shaped mushroom clouds produced by A-bombings.

“Omega” is also the last letter of the Greek alphabet, its uppercase letter resembles the clouds generated by the explosion of an atomic bomb. The bridge name “Omega” was probably also given as the hope of Los Alamos weapons scientists: we hope the very atomic bomb developing at Los Alamos will be the Last One towards the beginning of a nuclear weapons free world. 

Los Alamos had the privilege of developing the first A-bomb. Los Alamos also has the responsibility to put it to an O-mega end. 

Aug. 6, 2023 marks the 78th anniversary of the Hiroshima A-bombing tragedy. From the first A-Bomb to the last O-Mega, is 78-years too long a time?