Accidents and Challenging Situations

Trinity: Reflections on the Bomb, Accidents and Challenging Situations

During the 1950s scientists and the military continued researching nuclear technologies and the damage caused by nuclear explosions. Test explosions resulted in more effective weapons and structures designed to withstand nuclear blasts. In addition, planners investigated the possibility of non-military uses of nuclear power including atomic trains, medical technology, and nuclear power plants.

Simultaneously, nuclear accidents occurred despite government assurances of the safety of modern nuclear energy. Students in the 1950s were inundated with the fear of nuclear annihilation and regularly practiced "duck-and-cover" drills in case of a nuclear attack. Of course hiding under a student desk would provide little protection from a nuclear attack, but needlessly scared the daylights out of youngsters.

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Greg MacGregor, Los Alamos Archive Negative #3-21-53, 2019

Greg MacGregor, Colorized Los Alamos Archive Negative #5-5-55, 2019

Greg MacGregor, Colorized Los Alamos Archive Negative #S-35-5, 2019

Greg MacGregor, Colorized  Los Alamos Archive Negative #S-36-2, 2019

Greg MacGregor, Colorized Los Alamos Archive Negative #S-35-3, 2019

Santa Fe Railway, I want a ticket on the Atomic Super Chief, 1953

Patrick Nagatani, B-36/Mark 17 H-Bomb Accident (May 22, 1957), 5 1/4 miles South of Gibson Road, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1991

Beatrice Mandelman, NO War #1, ca. 1965

José Marcos García, Cuba – Missiles, ca. 1962 

John L. Doyle, Bombardier (from the series: Sharpshooters 76), 1976

NO Nukes March on Washington, May 6, 1979 T-shirt, 1979

Vincent Craig, Muttonman Discovers Columbus at the Experimental Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 1994