The U.S. detonated hundreds of nuclear bombs in the desert: Then the health concerns emerged
What happened after the detonations would take years to become clear, as radioactive fallout spread far beyond the isolated testing grounds.
If you were forced to detonate hundreds of nuclear bombs somewhere on Earth and tried to ensure there would be no health consequences for the planet’s population, where would you do it?
Neither the Nevada desert nor the Pacific atolls, you probably won’t be surprised to hear, is the correct answer, yet that is exactly where the United States decided to carry out atmospheric nuclear tests during the Cold War, with more than 200 such weapons detonated in those locations between 1945 and 1962.
In 1963, the year after atmospheric testing stopped, the Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed, forcing nations, principally the U.S. and the Soviet Union, to move testing deep underground. When properly engineered, hundreds of meters of solid rock can trap the fission products, sealing them in place and preventing them from entering the biosphere.
Deep underground containment, as it is known, is one of two correct answers to the question above, the other being deep outer space.
The fallout traveled far beyond the test sites
Unfortunately, the treaty came too late for many Americans. The explosions released radioactive fallout into the atmosphere, with Nevada, Utah and Arizona among the areas receiving the heaviest amounts.
However, wind carried radioactive particles hundreds or even thousands of miles, meaning communities across the continental United States were exposed to fallout.
The food chain also suffered, with fallout settling on soil, water, farmland and vegetation. As livestock ate contaminated grass and drank contaminated water, radioactive iodine could concentrate in their milk, which people then ingested.
The health consequences took years to emerge
The consequences for the health of those living near or downwind of the Nevada Test Site, or consuming contaminated food and drink, didn’t become immediately apparent. Instead, they gradually emerged years, and in some cases decades, after the initial exposure.
Thyroid cancer is one of the most well-documented cancer risks associated with radioactive fallout, mainly due to radioactive iodine-131, one of the isotopes released into the atmosphere, being absorbed by the thyroid.
Other cancers associated with radiation exposure include lung, breast, colon and stomach cancers, although the strength of the evidence varies depending on the cancer and level of exposure.
Children were particularly vulnerable to radiation-related cancer because developing tissues are more sensitive to radiation. Younger people exposed to radioactive iodine also faced greater thyroid exposure.
Leukemia has also been associated with radiation exposure, with radiation-induced leukemia generally having a shorter latency period than many solid tumors.
A legacy that lasted long after the explosions
In 1990, the U.S. government established the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, allowing people who developed certain serious illnesses as a result of nuclear testing to claim compensation.
Affected individuals can still apply for compensation, more than 60 years after testing stopped, reflecting the ongoing impact of the detonations, which should, thankfully, never be repeated.
SOURCE:
https://en.as.com/latest_news/the-us-detonated-hundreds-of-nuclear-bombs-in-the-desert-then-the-health-concerns-emerged-f202608-n/
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