Between the years 1945 and 1992 the United States government conducted 1,030 nuclear tests. 210 were classified as atmospheric tests, 815 were detonated underground, and 5 were exploded underwater. 804 underground tests were detonated at the Nevada Test Site (NTS).
The image above is from a test called "Baneberry" which had a yield of ten kilotons (a kiloton is the equivalent of 1,000 tons of TNT). The nuclear bomb was buried about 900 feet beneath the surface of Yucca Flat near the northern boundary of the NTS. The radiation release or venting resulted in a cloud of radioactive dust that reached an altitude of 10,000 feet. Following the Baneberry venting, new containment procedures were adopted to prevent similar occurrences.
If you're wondering why the test's all have weird names. Check this article here and show off at the next dinner party with your useless knowledge.
There are few things that are universally renowed as cool. Explosions are one of those things. While Hollywood loves a good explosion so do scientists and the military. We present here a collection of underground explosions for your viewing pleasure.
If you're interested in the more educational element to all this check the Wikipedia entry on Underground Nuclear Testing and read up. For us we'll just watch the pretty videos.
The following are the result of massive underground explosions by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission during Operation Dugout in 1960. Found on Archive.org.
You can actually see the craters on Google Maps. The map below lists most of the major tests done including the one called "Sedan" featured in the video above.
We liked the Nevada Test site map so much we created wallpapers for it. Get them at Earthwallpapers.org.
Here's a few tourist shots from Nevada. Golf sucks here we're told :)
Did you know blowing stuff up with nuclear bombs is for peaceful reasons? With a name like Operation Plowshare. how can it not be?
Not convinced? Let this video ease your doubts.
Here's a montage of hydrogen bomb tests. Check how the earth flows like water in the final shot. Source Archive.org.
Here's another random video which looks to be a combination of a few tests.
This final video isn't underground but underwater and if it wasn't so damn cool we'd leave it out.
The US Department of Energy's website has a great gallery of explosions both topside and underground. They sure knew how to blow things up in the 60's. Check out the full Nevada DOE site for soem interesting history and photos.
If you ever get the chance to buy cheap land in Nevada just make sure there wasn't any testing conducted in the 1960's first.
