Starfish Prime, outer space nuclear test

&#62; These man-made radiation belts eventually crippled one-third of all satellites in low earth orbit.<p>&#62; Wilmot Hess reported in 1968 that some Starfish electrons remained for five years<p>I guess that came unexpected.

This is the scariest article I've ever read.

Maybe I am a total inconsiderate jerk, but I think this is cool. Using nuclear power as weapons is bad, but the technology is just... cool.

From my readings many years ago we were pretty sure the Soviets had discovered the EMP effect that Starfish Prime revealed to us. Imagine the possible consequences if we'd remained innocent of the phenomena.<p>I also wonder how much of what we "know" is based on simulations based off the inadequate data we captured in this one test.

&#62; Seven satellites were destroyed as radiation knocked out their solar arrays or electronics.<p>Jerks.

this is going to be on all things considered today.

And the reason is ...

When I was younger and learned about all the bat shit crazy stuff like this the US military was doing with nuclear weapons, I assumed that it would cause long term insidious effects on human health, even if it happened only in indirect ways via the ecosystem and atmosphere. Today, I'm not convinced either way. But when there are reports saying cancer incidence has increased over the last half of this century, and you add to that picture all the crazy nuclear testing that went on plus all the new chemicals put into agricultural soil, food, water, etc. and the rise of plastic containers, all without <i>any</i> valid long term health testing done beforehand, you can't help but think there's going to be a connection.<p>"Hey lets's have a naked roof party and <i>watch the nuclear bomb explode in the sky</i> because it'll be groovy, baby!!!"

This sort of seemingly naive Disney-like way of dealing with and communicating about nuclear weapons -- esp in material produced for the public by the US defense/energy depts from the 50's to the 70's -- is what directly inspired the style and sense of humor shown in the Wasteland/Fallout games.

<i>Others reported that radioactive particles from Starfish Prime descended to earth seasonally and accumulated in terrestrial organisms such as fungi and lichens.[citation needed]</i><p>Major citation needed there.