A History of the Future: Images from the Atomic Age
Ranked #10,187 in Culture & Society, #207,569 overall
Propaganda, Nuclear Optimism, and the Atomic Age
Then, the folks who developed the first atomic weapons started dying of all kinds of bizarre cancers, and people rethought the whole nuclear-powered-car thing.
The art from the Atomic Age speaks both to nuclear optimism and to nuclear naivete. The examples I have collected here range from the amusing to the truly bizarre (which are also amusing). All of them are available as posters from Art.com and Allposters.com, and would make a great addition to a history or social studies classroom. They would also make a great conversation piece for a living room wall. And of course, they would make a great gift for the right person.
Image Source:Wikimedia Commons
It's 1947, and the Atomic Age is Upon Us!
What Do You Think?
Remember, kids, Squidoo awards points for participation. Post your opinion, get points! Yay!
Well, kids, we've unleashed the power of the atom. What's next?
I think *everything* will be atomic! Cars, ovens, and someday even humans themselves!
blackspanielgallery says:
The atom is here to stay, so we need to use it for good purposes.
AddaptAbilities says:
I just want my flying car. That can fold up into a short, hand-held rod, like in TRON, so I never have to look for parking again.
dannystaple says:
We've still yet to make the net-gain fusion reactor that fits in my car boot... I want one of those!
Meh! This will bring tears, you mark my words.
sorana says:
I'm afraid I'll have to agree with guardianstar77 on this one.
guardianstar77 says:
What good men make for the right reasons, bad men will seize for evil purposes. I am all for energy efficiency, but we must be careful of all our chosen energy sources.
Ener-G says:
Where's my desk to hide under?!
This Lens Is Part of Squidoo's Virtual Jenga Challenge
Thank you, Joan, for hosting it!
The folks in the SquidU forum had a great idea -- a virtual Jenga tower, built of Squidoo lenses!It began when Megan tagged Robin to make a lens. When she was finished, Robin tagged Cynthia Sylvestermouse. A few lenses later, Joan was tagged; she created a lens to host the Jenga tower, and the rest was history.
Upon completing a lens for the co-op quest, that lensmaster may choose another to add the next "block". Some players make requests -- Sprituality, for instance, requested a lens from Gods_grace_notes upon the topic of spiritual quilts. Some players let the lensmaster choose the topic -- Chapel Hill Fiddler let me just run away with this one.
If you're interested in learning more about the quest, read to the bottom of the lens, where there will be links to the Jenga Tower.
Image Source: Jason7825 at wikimedia commons
Get Lucky In Vegas! See a Real Live Mushroom Cloud!
Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "City of Lights", doesn't it?
Atomic City at Night Art Print
Brown, Ken
Buy at AllPosters.com
The Nevada National Security Site, formerly known as the Nevada Testing Site, formerly known as the Nevada Proving Grounds, is located to the northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. From 1951 to 1992, there were nearly 1,000 announced nuclear tests at the site. Many of them were underground, but for those of them that were visible, Las Vegas did what it always does -- it turned them into an attraction.
Photograph an Atomic Blast at Benny Binion's Horseshoe Club!
Benny may want to rethink his advertising strategy.
Atom Bomb Blasts from Las Vegas, Nevada Art Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
OK, so you can't get a photo like this from Benny's actual Horseshoe Club. But I bet he can give you directions to where you can get a wonderful shot of the atomic blast. Won't that be something to show the grandkids! Course, you'll be explaining to them why it is they have three heads each ...
Atomic City of the Future!!!
Circa 1942
Sci Fi - Future Atomic City, 1942 Giclee Print
Paul, Frank R.
Buy at AllPosters.com
I have no idea what makes this city "atomic". Is it the flying cars? The weird round things on top of the buildings?
I know! I bet it's made of atoms!
The Power Plant of the Tomorrow!
It has cyclotrons, for some reason.
Atomic Power Plants Predicted Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
Cyclotrons have never been used to generate electrical power. They're particle accelerators, not generators. According to wikipedia, they are used for the following three things:
- Generating high-energy beams for physics experiments.
- Treating cancer through radiation therapy, in a way that damages less surrounding tissue than ordinary radiation treatment.
- Generating positron-emitting isotopes for PET imagery.
Long story short: I'm thinking someone just wanted to sound cool by using the word "cyclotron".
Atomic Factory At The Pole!
Where atoms are made!
Atomic Factory at Pole Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
This factory, located at one of "The Pole" (in the future, I guess, there's only one) is "atomic". If a car factory makes cars, and a computer factory makes computers, an atomic factory makes atoms, right?
It appears to use the Aurora Borealis to do this. The question is: what kind of atoms does it make? Carbon? Hydrogen? Polonium? Only the future can tell us!
It's an Atom-Powered Robot.
You know, for kids.
Friction Powered Atom Robot Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
This atom-powered robot is obviously from the future. Duh, it has atoms!
But did you know: "mystery crank action" was invented by the ancient Romans?
Atomic Powered Motorcycle!
Good clean fun.
Motor Cycle Driven by Atomic Power Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
The real wonder if science in this image is not, as you might be thinking, the atomic-powered motorcycle. It's the cockpit window, which is lined in lead that is so futuristic that it's completely transparent!
At least, I hope it is. Otherwise that driver is in a world of hurt.
Atomic Rays Will Clear Forests!
This I can at least believe.
Forest Clearance by Means of Atomic Rays Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
In the future, we'll use "atomic rays" for everything. In this picture, they're used to clear forests. By comparison, today's methods of clear-cutting, slashing, and burning are pretty primitive. A few pesky animals survive the process and take up residence someplace else.
Thanks to "atomic rays", the forests of the future won't just be clear-cut -- they'll be uninhabitable!
Atom-Powered Race Cars!
I feel bad for the pit crew.
Motor Racing with Atom-Powered Vehicles Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
My car isn't atom-powered. It's a bit of a dinosaur, so it's powered by mere molecules ... which, as it turns out, were derived from dinosaurs. Ah, the circle of life.
An Atom-Powered Family Sedan.
I think this one mutated.
Atom-Powered Automobile Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
A car powered by atomic fission would be expensive and dangerous to fuel. It would emit ionizing radiation that could cause acute radiation poisoning, or possibly just cancer and birth defects.
But does it have to be this ugly, too?
Atom Rocket!
In case sitting on 5 *million* pounds of rocket fuel isn't dangerous enough.
Atom Rocket-15 Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
In the future, our rockets won't be powered by mere liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, and the rocket fuel that ignites them. No, in the future, WE will be MEN! And that means rockets powered by nuclear fission. WHERE'S MY URANIUM?
See the Fishes of the Sea -- with Atom Rays!
Um. What's an "atom ray?"
Observation of the Sea-Bed from Transparent-Bottomed Boats Using Atom-Ray Illumination Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
In the future, there will be things called "atom rays" (they haven't been invented yet) that will illuminate the sea floor. This will allow marine biologists to document what they find there, before it all dies from the radiation exposure, or mutates into something else.
Atomic Power Will Fight Fires!
Um, yeah. Sure it will.
Using Atomic Power to Fight Fires Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
In this illustration, intrepid firefighters are shown shooting futuristic atomic ray guns at an apartment fire. Well, they're either atomic ray guns, or they're flashlights. Either way, I have my doubts.
When The Atoms Failed!
And what does *that* look like, exactly?
When the Atoms Failed Giclee Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
An atom consists of a certain number of protons and neutrons (together making up the nucleus) which are orbited by a certain number of electrons. The nucleus is held together by nuclear force (also known as the "strong residual force"). Since the nucleus carries a positive electromagnetic charge, electrons (which carry a negative charge) adhere to it because of electromagnetic force.
In our day-to-day lives, we have all observed this electromagnetic force in the form of static electricity, which is what causes plastic wrap to immediately stick to itself the minute you tear off a piece.
What I'm getting at here is that if atoms failed -- if protons, neutrons, and electrons all freed themselves from the physical forces that bind them, THERE WOULD BE NO PLASTIC WRAP. Think about that for a minute. WE'D BE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!
What's your favorite picture from the Atomic Age?
I'm curious.
I hope you enjoyed this trip through the Atomic Age. I'm always curious to know which images people respond to, and why. What was your favorite image? Did you enjoy it for the nostalgia? Or did you think it was funny? Please let me know. Squidoo awards participation, so by voting in this poll, we BOTH get points. YAY!
Image SourceWikimedia Commons
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Well kids, it's now 2010. Were they right?
They promised us flying cars. WHERE ARE THE FLYING CARS?!?
Did the Atomic Age turn out like they thought it would?
Well, sort of; we have nuclear medicine, nuclear power, and we're learning to contain the risks in both. The Atomic Age taught us a lot about how to live with nuclear power.
DaveStone13 says:
Cool lens. I've lived through most of this, and perceptions have changed and changed and changed again.
pilegirl says:
Nuclear power is such a good idea. If only it could work as efficiently as it's supposed to!
No way. We've learned that nuclear power is dangerous under any circumstances. The Atomic Age was just propaganda, trying to sweep the risks under the rug.
dannystaple says:
It really didn't, but we learned a lot doing it. There is always propaganda with any sufficiently disruptive technological advances - as there has been with hydrogen fuel cells, the internet, mobile phones etc. Propaganda also comes from more than one political camp - always reserve judgement.
AddaptAbilities says:
Nuclear power turned out to be much more dangerous than they ever thought it would be. Nuclear medicine has been a positive development, but the idea that I'd be using a fission-powered oven is as laughable as it is scary.
guardianstar77 says:
Nuclear containment is a myth. Power plants built along unstable earthquake fault lines may, in the not distant future, topple with a massive shift in the earth's plates, opening them up and exposing the world to their contents. Very scary, if you ask me.
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Rocket Powered Space Age Links!
The space age continues online!
- Warp Drive: When?
- NASA researchers discuss the challenges inherent in interstellar flight, and what we might do to overcome them. To the stars!
- From Inspiration to Invention
- A look at space travel as it's depicted in science fiction throughout history.
Before you get to the future, stop by and say hello.
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LabKitty
Mar 13, 2011 @ 4:42 pm | delete
- Just wanted to throw in here that a couple of these ideas were sort of taken seriously - NASA considered a spaceship that was powered more or less by tossing atomic bombs out the back which were then detonated to push the craft forward (see: Project Orion). And there was also the whole "Atoms For Peace" project, one part of which was widening the Panama Canal using atomic bombs for excavation (see: Project Plowshare).
And as a less-dramatic example, the US (and probably the Soviets) have in fact used plutonium "batteries" in satellites and spacecraft.
Anyway, great lens!
PS: "It's only a model..." - is that a Monty Python joke?
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AddaptAbilities Mar 20, 2011 @ 9:15 pm | delete
- Yes, "It's only a model" is a Monty Python reference :)
I was aware that there were some thermonuclear rockets that were tested ... but I had no idea about the Panama Canal project. I'll have to check those out!
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BevsPaper
Jan 17, 2011 @ 7:09 pm | delete
- This was really awesome! I love the vintage illustrations from the past and you certainly caught the feel for the Atomic Age. Nice job!
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dannystaple Jan 14, 2011 @ 7:26 am | delete
- What is interesting about this lens is it is looking at the previous "silver bullet" for all our power problems, and there is always one. Indeed- power consumption, production and usage is probably one of the most interesting issues of our time. Some of the nasty side effects from fuels take longer than others to show up, which also means there is more inertia preventing anyone stopping their usage. Fossil fuels are one great example of that. I love the images, and I love the thinking they provoked. A great lens!
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guardianstar77
Jan 13, 2011 @ 12:56 pm | delete
- The only fear we really should have is the destructive nature of mankind. If some can think of a way to improve the "history of the future", then others can think of ways to make it evil. I loved the images, though. Great work!
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Addy Bell
is kind of a nerd.
by AddaptAbilities
I joined Squidoo to raise awareness about adult learning disabilities. I am now a Giant Squid and Angel for the Mental Health>Depression category on S... more »
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Atomic Age Classics
Atomic Age Classics Collection
Amazon Price: $21.25 (as of 06/01/2012)
Classic propaganda films from the Atomic Age ... featuring gems such as "C is for Communist!"
The Dragon's Tail: Americans Face The Atomic Age
The Dragon's Tail: Americans Face the Atomic Age (Culture, Politics, and the Cold War)
Amazon Price: $21.60 (as of 06/01/2012)
Life on the American side of the Cold War.
The Manhattan Project: A History Channel Documentary
Modern Marvels - The Manhattan Project (History Channel)
Amazon Price: $9.98 (as of 06/01/2012)
The story of the race for the Atomic Bomb.
