This article explores the long-term consequences of nuclear testing on the Bikini Atoll. While some elements of life on Bikini Atoll have returned more or less to normal, what's interesting is the elements that haven't. People are still not able to live on Bikini Atoll, and the radioactivity from the tests exists within all of us, providing a reminder of what nuclear power is capable of.
My dad was 11 miles away when the test that created the Bravo Crater, the largest nuclear test the US ever conducted, was performed. His stories were pretty wild. Sitting on deck of the USS Baraoko, being told to just keep your eyes closed when the countdown hit 0 so you wouldn't be blinded, radioactive wind nearly blowing them off deck as they ran below, the ship under constant seawater washdown still being too radioactive to go into San Diego harbor a month later so they had to hang out at sea, etc.
USA ought to pay for damaging a tropical paradise like that. We only have one earth. At least they could have used some useless ground in mainland USA.
LeoLaDawg | a day ago
I sure do like all the pictures in that article that is about what it looks like today.
AnswersQuestioned | a day ago
One of the few times I actually clicked on the article. So much disappointment, I’ll just stick to the comments next time, as per
m3thodm4n021 | 23 hours ago
Ya it's a bummer because it's a really interesting article.
dethb0y | a day ago
Coconut crabs are one of those animals that are just a little weird to even see. Like something out of a bad dream.
RedHal | a day ago
Let alone giant radioactive ones.
GrendelsFather | a day ago
Weird that the navigation system was based on maps from before testing in 1946. Feels a bit dramatic.
dopeless42day | a day ago
Isn't this the island that has a huge concrete cap covering the blast epicenter that is now cracking?
pup5581 | a day ago
Edit: Yes it's from the cactus test. Now It's a nuclear waste storage pit they dug out. And it's allll leaking out. 95k cubic yards
It has NO bottom liner....how smart
Anonymous_user_2022 | 23 hours ago
No, that's on Enewatak, which is the next atoll to the west.
Lanfear_Eshonai | a day ago
Very interesting. Realising the consequences of one's actions.
What happened to Bikini Atoll was really tragic. The most tragic though is that so few people know (or care) about it.
Thanks for sharing the article.
[OP] Quouar | a day ago
This article explores the long-term consequences of nuclear testing on the Bikini Atoll. While some elements of life on Bikini Atoll have returned more or less to normal, what's interesting is the elements that haven't. People are still not able to live on Bikini Atoll, and the radioactivity from the tests exists within all of us, providing a reminder of what nuclear power is capable of.
drukard_master | a day ago
Nuclear “power” is a weird way to frame it when it was a nuclear weapons test.
[OP] Quouar | a day ago
Heh, fair. I meant it in the sense of "might," but you're right that it's not the best choice of words.
GBurns007 | a day ago
Also they found radioactivity in coconuts growing on other islands within that area of the Pacific.
DrTonyTiger | a day ago
Why did Stanford Magazine, in an article about the South Pacific choose to use and feature the Empire State Building as a unit of volume?
Superbead | a day ago
In the UK we're still buying milk in fractions of ESBs, but fortunately we're due to phase out to metric in 2029
henchman171 | 20 hours ago
In Canada we have and advanced metric called “bag of milk”
J_G_E | 6 hours ago
plus "an aircraft carrier the length of a Manhattan avenue block"
Americans really will use anything but Metric.
zensunni82 | 5 hours ago
My dad was 11 miles away when the test that created the Bravo Crater, the largest nuclear test the US ever conducted, was performed. His stories were pretty wild. Sitting on deck of the USS Baraoko, being told to just keep your eyes closed when the countdown hit 0 so you wouldn't be blinded, radioactive wind nearly blowing them off deck as they ran below, the ship under constant seawater washdown still being too radioactive to go into San Diego harbor a month later so they had to hang out at sea, etc.
Krow101 | a day ago
Have the people come out of the vaults yet?
AnyExpression4845 | 3 hours ago
It's wild how nature just takes it back over like that. You'd almost forget how much damage was actually done there.
worldcitizencane | 22 hours ago
USA ought to pay for damaging a tropical paradise like that. We only have one earth. At least they could have used some useless ground in mainland USA.
ComicallySolemn | 15 hours ago
Don’t worry, we did that too. Just ask John Wayne how that turned out.
worldcitizencane | 12 hours ago
Whatever you paid, it wasn't enough.