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November 1, 2013

Ivy Mike

Ivy Mike was the codename given to the first test of a thermonuclear device, in which part of the explosive yield comes from nuclear fusion. It was detonated on November 1, 1952 by the United States on Enewetak, an atoll in the Pacific Ocean, as part of Operation Ivy. The device was the first full test of the Teller-Ulam design, a staged fusion bomb, and was the first successful test of a hydrogen bomb.

4 comments:

Barb said...

Interesting, and scary at the same time.

Mike said...

Seems like I was going to add the label "scary", but didn't.

I live about 20 miles or less (as the bird flies) from Pantex, the final assembly/disassembly point for nukes. I always figured the Russians had it targeted w/ several missiles, maybe not the highest priority but up there.

Anyway, it's hard to understand why the U.S. used such a pristine and beautiful place to test bombs. More than a shame.

I've got another video I want to watch about a bomb that didn't go off and the man who had to go check it out. I always wondered if you'd feel any pain being right at the spot where an atomic bomb went off. You'd be dead in a millisecond, but I still wonder if there'd be that quick flash of pain. Prob. not, you'd be reduced to atoms yourself, huh?

Barb said...

In that nanosecond(s) your entire nervous system would probably be overcome with stimulation, my guess too much to process anything, not even a final thought. Just my take.

Mike said...

I think you're right, Barb. It's prob. that way being next to any sort of bomb, much less an atomic one.