US government program promoting nuclear explosions for construction, farming radioactive crops, and lunar cratering

US government program promoting nuclear explosions for construction, farming radioactive crops, and lunar cratering

Exploring the Outlandish and Often Hilarious Side of Nuclear Technology

Christopher Nolan’s latest biopic, “Oppenheimer,” has captivated audiences, shedding light on the birth of the atomic bomb and the devastation it brought during World War II. However, there’s a side of the story that the film doesn’t cover – the wild and often hilarious schemes the United States had in mind for nuclear bombs.

In the 1950s and 60s, there was a concerted effort to demonstrate that nuclear weapons could be used for “peaceful” purposes. Known as the “Atoms for Peace” campaign, it was championed by the White House and given ample funding. The aim was to show that atomic blasts could become part of everyday life, with applications ranging from construction to agriculture.

One of the most outlandish plans was to use 520 nuclear bombs to blast a second Suez Canal through Israel’s Negev desert. While this idea seems absurd today, it was just one of many proposals during this era.

The focus was primarily on using nuclear explosions to excavate areas for construction projects, as they were believed to be more cost-effective than conventional explosives. These plans included schemes to excavate highways and create an alternative to the Panama Canal. The notion of using nuclear power for transportation even included dreams of a nuclear-powered plane that could circle the globe without landing.

But the creativity didn’t stop there. The campaign also explored the concept of “atomic gardening.” The idea was to expose crops to radiation in the hope of encouraging random mutations that could improve their quality. While many of these atomic gardens didn’t yield the superhero crops that were hoped for, some interesting breeds did emerge, such as the Star Ruby grapefruit.

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Another astonishing proposal involved using nuclear explosives for fracking. Several tests were conducted to determine if atomic blasts could help free natural gas from underground. While the tests did prove that it was possible, the resulting gas was contaminated with radiation, rendering it unusable.

As one can imagine, not much thought was given to the downsides and long-term consequences of these grand plans. The focus was on presenting a positive image of nuclear technology and its potential benefits. Historian Jacob Hamblin referred to the campaign as “propaganda” created to cover up US nuclear proliferation.

The 1953 “Atoms for Peace” speech by President Dwight D. Eisenhower laid the foundation for this campaign. However, at that time, atomic energy was primarily military-related, with only a fraction dedicated to non-military applications. The establishment of the US Atomic Energy Commission was a response to Eisenhower’s vision, tasked with finding peaceful uses for nuclear technology. The hope was to turn the “big hammer” of nuclear bombs into a tool for peaceful progress.

While some projects associated with the campaign, such as nuclear power generation and nuclear medicine, have had positive impacts, others have left a legacy of victims and unresolved issues. The tests conducted as part of the “Atoms for Peace” campaign have had lasting negative effects on communities, such as the Marshall islanders and Navajo uranium miners.

Furthermore, the campaign inadvertently contributed to arms-control problems as countries used the rhetoric of peaceful nuclear development to mask their actual intentions.

In retrospect, the ideas proposed during the “Atoms for Peace” campaign may seem strange, even comical at times. However, they offer a fascinating glimpse into an era when nuclear technology was viewed with both awe and a touch of misguided optimism. While some of these ideas may have been impractical or even dangerous, they highlight the colorful and sometimes hilarious history of nuclear technology.

• Atomic
• Atomic Bomb
• News UK