Nuclear Explosion since 1945 by artist Isao Hashimoto

Japanese artist Isao Hashimoto has created a beautiful, undeniably scary time-lapse map of the 2053 nuclear explosions which have taken place between 1945 and 1998, beginning with the Manhattan Project's "Trinity" test near Los Alamos and concluding with Pakistan's nuclear tests in May of 1998. This leaves out North Korea's two alleged nuclear tests in this past decade (the legitimacy of both of which is not 100% clear).

Each nation gets a blip and a flashing dot on the map whenever they detonate a nuclear weapon, with a running tally kept on the top and bottom bars of the screen. Hashimoto, who began the project in 2003, says that he created it with the goal of showing"the fear and folly of nuclear weapons." It starts really slow — if you want to see real action, skip ahead to 1962 or so — but the buildup becomes overwhelming.

This is the most powerful documentation on the Fragile Earth forum I think has been contributed in a long time. Although I don't visit this topic often, I'm convinced to pay more active attention. Flag and Star, and please keep promoting this.

Also, as a graphic designer myself, this really demonstrates the power of visual language.

Cold War was so crazy, but good thing that nuclear tests kinda stopped after collapse of Soviet Union. Only some tests after that. U.S is undeniable winner in this "competion", did like half of those nuke tests.

But Soviet Union really ruined those islands like Novaya Zemlya, there was lot native people living there.

Interesting that Britain seems to be the most non-aggressive. They were the third to figure it out yet until 1998 had only 45 nuclear explosions. Really cool.

It amazes me how many times we have detonated nuclear bombs in our own country. There is no way the has no effect on the environment. Notice how there was a few UK bombs detonated in the US as well.

Wow. I saw this a while ago and it's still chilling to watch. Until I saw this video I had no idea how many nuclear weapons had been detonated, especially here in the USA! Just shocking.

now i might even believe aliens did get interested in us after all the nukes we tested

This has actually already been posted... but it appears that doesnt matter anymore..

thanks for bringing up again I suppose for all those who haven't seen it..

should we really consider this art? NO

Originally posted by gimme_some_truth
Interesting that Britain seems to be the most non-aggressive. They were the third to figure it out yet until 1998 had only 45 nuclear explosions. Really cool.

whats cool about 45 nuclear explosions? we just trying to make UK seem more civilized? please... nothing cool about any of this.. but you guys keep telling yourselves how AMAZING it is..

I dream of a day we no longer have these technologies..

thats quite a shocking video... i dont understand why these devices have had to be tested so much.. im sure they could have gathered all the data they needed with a fraction of these tests..

and whats even more shocking is that 98% of this has been from only 5 countries, im glad the uk was relatively low in comparison to the others, but i think the reason is because we would have shared data with the u.s on their tests.. thank god the other nations around the world didnt develop this technology aswell

does japan not have any nuclear weapons or have not done any tests? i always assumed they have

This has been posted before.
still shocking.

Japan has No nuc's or tests.
I dont think they have much of an army.

Originally posted by Hardstepah
does japan not have any nuclear weapons or have not done any tests? i always assumed they have

That video is really scary to watch. Imagine the perspective of some intelligent Aliens who haven't been here for thousands of years as some suggest..but just sorta happened by in the mid 40's and hung around or left a probe to learn more about this odd little life form in this far distant corner of the galaxy. What a terrible statement simply watching Earth's surface from orbit will have made.

Back to the real world....If only a single thing in the history of mankind could be UN-invented, this would be it with no close runners up. Sadly, we can't get rid of ours now, nor can anyone else as it's only a matter of time now until they are used again. Everything is shades of gray these days...everything. That includes the horror of a nuclear explosion as seen in Japan. Everything can be rationalized and reasoned away as 'not as bad as those dusty history books say'.....so how long until the first ones get used in anger again?

Originally posted by loneranger26
It amazes me how many times we have detonated nuclear bombs in our own country. There is no way the has no effect on the environment. Notice how there was a few UK bombs detonated in the US as well.

the uk and u.s have always shared technology, thats why i believe they have tested in america..
as for the other countries.. it looks like they mostly tested in their own country or on what was/is considered their territory. eg the french pacific islands and french north africa..

the reason france and uk dont test these directly in their own country is because they are small, highly populated countries.. there is virtually nowhere that you could test one of these without it having some sort of affect on millions of people.
so they either test on overseas territories or they get favours from allies.. eg uk in america, uk in australia and im sure results and research plus other benefits are exchanged in return..
i am not defending france or uk, it is wrong for them to do this, but at least there is a valid reason why they do..

the other countries with the most detonations (U.S, russia and china) are all huge countries, with vast expanses of space, which is largely uninhabited.. thats where these things are tested..

there is no valid reason for any of these countries to test nuclear devices on foreign soil..


having said that.. i have to add, i hate these weapons with a passion.. bearing in mind the positive aspects and applications of this research.. i think 1 test in the use of this important science as a weapon of mass destruction is one to many..

Great post and really disturbing video... I always believed these tests were somewhat of a happening, appears they were routine business....

It puts a little sick irony in the term 'Cold War' ...

This is even more disturbing if you then view some of the maps that show the areas most likely to have been exposed to radioactive materials from these "tests".

I dont mind that this has been posted before...

I had never seen it, and holy $%^&...

What the hell, no wonder everyone dies from cancer anymore... natural death my butt

Im surprised we are still living, geez

So, TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTY THREE nuclear detonations in sixty years. TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTY THREE.

Yet, there are still dumbasses out there who believe that a nuclear bomb could destroy the world.

Have you ever seen a nuclear detonation? No, well I have. In the Pacific Ocean AND in Utah. And guess what, they're not as powerful and as devastating as the public are lead to believe.

I'm not saying they're not extremely powerful and dangerous, but they're just NOT as powerful and dangerous as most people think. One nuke could NOT destroy a country, or even a large city. It would take multiple strikes on Los Angeles or Dallas or London or Tehran to 'destroy' them.

One nuke could cripple an economy, but it can NOT level a large city. Even the most powerful nuke EVER detonated only left a crater 3 miles wide, fact. Los Angeles is over 60 miles across.

Don't be too scared of them, they're not the all-destructive force they're made out to be.

Originally posted by manontrial
So, TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTY THREE nuclear detonations in sixty years. TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTY THREE.

Yet, there are still dumbasses out there who believe that a nuclear bomb could destroy the world.

Have you ever seen a nuclear detonation? No, well I have. In the Pacific Ocean AND in Utah. And guess what, they're not as powerful and as devastating as the public are lead to believe.

I'm not saying they're not extremely powerful and dangerous, but they're just NOT as powerful and dangerous as most people think. One nuke could NOT destroy a country, or even a large city. It would take multiple strikes on Los Angeles or Dallas or London or Tehran to 'destroy' them.

One nuke could cripple an economy, but it can NOT level a large city. Even the most powerful nuke EVER detonated only left a crater 3 miles wide, fact. Los Angeles is over 60 miles across.

Don't be too scared of them, they're not the all-destructive force they're made out to be.

edit on 27-6-2011 by manontrial because: Added text

you seem to misunderstand.... if one russia sent a nuke to los angeles no.. it wouldnt destroy the city although it would cause a hell of alot a damage.. but what would follow would ultimatly destroy the world.
america would retalite by sending one to moscow, the russians would send another one, england and france would get involved as would china...
india and pakistan hate each other, pakistan would probably see this as an opportunity to destroy israel, and india..
next thing you know these things would be flying all over the planet...

so to sum up ONE nuclear weapon COULD destroy not only a country but probably the entire planet... you have to always look at the bigger picture my friend...