Atomic Bomb Pictures

Wow. Thanks, PlbMak. Your timing is impeccable as yesterday was the anniversary of the Trinity Test in New Mexico. Here's the link to a story I wrote for CR4 about that event. As always, comments are welcome.

Well, at least some good came of my half hour of bored browsing this lunchtime!

Harold Edgerton is one of my heroes.

Yes, they are legit.

I recall seeing a picture in Scientific American some years ago of an atomic bomb inside a house microseconds after detonation. You could see the framing through the walls. Wish I still had that photo.

These photos are very real, dude. AEC as it was called back then was very, very, very interested in what the bomb did just after detonation. This is why these high speed cameras were developed. Then, with the advent of super-computing, it really gave the US a major edge. With the test ban treaty. No one could test nukes, on ground, in the air, or underground. We, however, could test to our hearts content because of advanced computer models running on super computers. We were the only ones that could really get down the perfect mix for getting the biggest bang for the buck, so to speak.

And, yes, the guy wires are joining in on the reaction, anything the explosion can get it's hands on (so to speak).

When they created the first nuclear reactor at Chicago U, too much Uranium got in the mix, and this guy reached in with his hand to get the extra stuff out. The neutrons contributed by his hand almost sent the pile into overdrive (critical mass).

'and this guy reached in with his hand to get the extra stuff out.'

Is he featured in this new program 'Hero', or what?

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do... It was either that or cause the world's first meltdown under the bleachers at Chicago U.

I was just thinking, it's much the same with everything, when asbestos was relaunched (the Romans used it, I believe) there was everybody standing around throwing the stuff about with not a care in the world. No look at what you wear just at the mention of it....