The bequest of the nuclear battlefield: Science, nature, and the atom during the first decade of the Cold War

The first decade of atmospheric nuclear testing marked a new era in history. For the first time, mankind was able to destroy everything, including itself. The destruction of nature was thoroughly analyzed and the behavior of radioactive fallout isotopes carefully studied. Classified projects were established to investigate the worldwide spread of fallout as well as its accumulation in plants, animals, humans, soil, water, and food. As testing progressed, so did the problem of mounting waste produced by military and civilian institutions, eventually resulting in a quest for atomic waste reservoirs. With the introduction of the hydrogen bomb, the destruction reached new heights. The test sites turned into proving grounds, which attracted the interest of the military and scientists eager to examine a radioactive environment. Innumerable studies and research projects were conducted and consumed many resources. Unintentionally however, this very research alos provided the founding base for modern environmental science on a global scale.