The Ambivalent Atom
November, 1950
A stylized human
figure holds a symbol of the atom aloft while a blazing nuclear
reaction in the distance promises the wonders of space travel and the threat of annihilation. Artist Pattee's cover
for Astounding
Science Fiction illustrates the ambivalence which
characterized popular responses to nuclear technology.
After Hiroshima, a pessimistic attitude began to replace
the predominantly optimistic view of science found in most pre-WWII
science fiction.
Learn
about human radiation experiments
Lots of nuclear data links
Visit the
Hiroshima Website
Hear an actual A-Bomb blast
View mpg. clips of nuclear bomb tests