Collection · COL-10

The Nuclear Age

An atomic cannon, a 1950s nuclear bomber still in service, a Mach 3 bomber that never went to war, a megaton test under Alaska, a bomber stripped of its nuclear role, a submarine-launched nuclear missile, the interceptors built to stop warheads, a reactor's blue glow, the first seconds of a nuclear fireball, the corium mass under Chernobyl and the pines its radiation killed.

15 case files · 30 quiz questions · Military, History, Tech, Science, Dark Facts, Nature

15 case files in this collection

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Free PDF: every quick fact with its ID, the write-ups, sources and a quiz with an answer key.

What Is in The Nuclear Age?

15 case files on the nuclear era, in order: a 1953 artillery shot, a bomber built in the 1950s for high-altitude nuclear missions and still flying, a Mach 3 nuclear bomber flown only as a 1960s research plane, a 1971 underground blast, a bomber built for nuclear alert and later disarmed under New START, a submarine-launched ballistic missile first deployed in 1990, interceptors aimed at ballistic-missile warheads, the light of a reactor pool, the first seconds of a nuclear explosion, the Elephant's Foot at Chernobyl and the Red Forest. Atomic Annie, the M65 280mm Atomic Cannon, is the only artillery piece ever to fire a nuclear shell. DD-004 Cannikin (1971) was the largest underground nuclear test in U.S. history, with a yield just under five megatons, set off more than a mile beneath Alaska's Amchitka Island. DD-026 The blue glow in nuclear reactor pools is Cherenkov radiation: electrons moving faster than light travels in water (about 75% of c). DD-020

The Case Files, in Order

  1. 01
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    Atomic AnnieDD-004

    DD-004Military+ History

    Atomic Annie

    The M65 280mm Atomic Cannon, nicknamed Atomic Annie, is the only artillery piece ever to fire a nuclear shell.

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  2. 02
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    B52 StratofortressDD-708

    DD-708Military+ History

    B52 Stratofortress

    Built in the 1950s, flying into the 2050s.

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  3. 03
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    XB-70 ValkyrieDD-048

    DD-048Military+ Tech

    XB-70 Valkyrie

    A Mach 3 bomber that never went to war.

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  4. 04
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    Cannikin QuakeDD-026

    DD-026Military+ History

    Cannikin Quake

    America's biggest underground nuke shook the ground like a magnitude 7 quake.

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  5. 05
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    Supersonic StrikerDD-036

    DD-036Military+ History

    Supersonic Striker

    The B-1 was built to carry nukes but now flies conventional only.

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  6. 06
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    Ballistic TridentDD-627

    DD-627Military

    Ballistic Trident

    Launched from under the sea.

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  7. 07
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    EKV: Exoatmospheric Kill VehicleDD-011

    DD-011Military+ Tech

    EKV: Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle

    This interceptor kills warheads without any explosives.

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  8. 08
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    Cherenkov GlowDD-020

    DD-020Science+ Tech

    Cherenkov Glow

    This blue glow is particles outrunning light in water.

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  9. 09
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    Nuclear FireballDD-052

    DD-052Military+ Science

    Nuclear Fireball

    The first seconds of a nuclear explosion.

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  10. 10
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    NUCLEAR DISASTERDD-297

    DD-297History+ Dark Facts

    NUCLEAR DISASTER

    Under Chernobyl's Reactor 4 sits a mass of solidified corium.

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  11. 11
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    The Red ForestDD-105

    DD-105Nature+ History

    The Red Forest

    Radiation from Chernobyl turned a pine forest ginger-brown.

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  12. 12
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    KilotonDD-270

    DD-270Military+ History

    Kiloton

    In July 1946, the US detonated a 23-kiloton bomb underwater at Bikini Atoll.

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  13. 13
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    The Atomic GunDD-083

    DD-083Military+ History

    The Atomic Gun

    The U.S.

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  14. 14
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    Nuclear ShadowsDD-330

    DD-330History+ Military

    Nuclear Shadows

    The atomic bombings of August 1945 left shadows burned onto surfaces.

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  15. 15
    DID YOU
    KNOW?    Fall MaryaDD-412

    DD-412History+ Military

    Fall Marya

    On October 18, 1951, the Soviet Union air-dropped an atomic bomb for the first time.

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Collection Quiz

All quizzes →

30 questions from all 15 case files in The Nuclear Age. Test Your Knowledge: answers are revealed instantly.

  1. How much did Atomic Annie, the M65 280mm Atomic Cannon, weigh?

    1. 8 tons
    2. 30 tons
    3. 83 tons
    4. 250 tons
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. 83 tons Now You Know: Atomic Annie weighed 83 tons. Source: DD-004 · Atomic Annie · Write-up · Exhibit A (M65 280mm Atomic Cannon)

  2. On what date did Atomic Annie fire its nuclear shell in the Grable test?

    1. May 25, 1953
    2. July 16, 1945
    3. August 6, 1945
    4. October 30, 1961
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. May 25, 1953 Now You Know: The Grable test took place on May 25, 1953, in Nevada. Source: DD-004 · Atomic Annie · Write-up · Exhibit B (The Grable test)

  3. When did the B-52 first fly?

    1. 1945
    2. 1952
    3. 1955
    4. 1962
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. 1952 Now You Know: April 15, 1952, as the YB-52. Source: DD-708 · B52 Stratofortress · Write-up · Exhibit A (Origins) · Wikipedia: Boeing B-52 Stratofortress; US Air Force fact sheet: B-52H Stratofortress

  4. How many engines does a B-52 have?

    1. Four
    2. Six
    3. Eight
    4. Ten
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Eight Now You Know: Eight, in four paired pods. Source: DD-708 · B52 Stratofortress · Write-up · Exhibit A (Origins) · Wikipedia: Boeing B-52 Stratofortress; US Air Force fact sheet: B-52H Stratofortress

  5. What speed was the XB-70 designed to cruise at?

    1. Mach 1
    2. Mach 2
    3. Mach 3
    4. Mach 5
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Mach 3 Now You Know: It was designed to fly the whole mission at Mach 3. Source: DD-048 · XB-70 Valkyrie · Write-up · Exhibit A (Built to outrun) · XB-70 Valkyrie (NASA); Summary of preliminary data derived from the XB-70 airplanes (NASA TM, 1966); North American XB-70 Valkyrie (Wikipedia)

  6. What helped kill the B-70 bomber program?

    1. Stealth aircraft
    2. Surface-to-air missiles and ICBMs
    3. A fuel shortage
    4. A treaty ban
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Surface-to-air missiles and ICBMs Now You Know: A high-flying bomber no longer looked survivable. Source: DD-048 · XB-70 Valkyrie · Write-up · Exhibit B (Undone by missiles) · North American XB-70 Valkyrie (Wikipedia)

  7. Where was the Cannikin test conducted?

    1. Nevada Test Site
    2. Bikini Atoll
    3. Amchitka Island, Alaska
    4. White Sands, New Mexico
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Amchitka Island, Alaska Now You Know: Cannikin was fired beneath Amchitka Island in the Aleutians on November 6, 1971. Source: DD-026 · Cannikin Quake · Write-up · Exhibit A (When and where) · Project CANNIKIN D+30 Day Report: Preliminary Operational and Test Results Summary (AEC, via OSTI); At the Frontier of Missile Defense, 1971 (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory history); Cannikin (Wikipedia)

  8. What was Cannikin's approximate yield?

    1. 15 kilotons
    2. About 1 megaton
    3. Just under 5 megatons
    4. 50 megatons
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Just under 5 megatons Now You Know: The official yield was 'less than five megatons', the largest U.S. underground test. Source: DD-026 · Cannikin Quake · Write-up · Exhibit B (America's biggest underground blast) · Project CANNIKIN D+30 Day Report: Preliminary Operational and Test Results Summary (AEC, via OSTI); Seismic effects of the MILROW and CANNIKIN nuclear explosions (Engdahl, BSSA, 1972); Cannikin (Wikipedia)

  9. What is the B-1 Lancer's nickname?

    1. The Bone
    2. The Buff
    3. The Warthog
    4. The Spirit
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. The Bone Now You Know: An early newspaper wrote 'B-ONE' without the hyphen, and it stuck. Source: DD-036 · Supersonic Striker · Write-up · Exhibit G (The 'Bone') · Rockwell B-1 Lancer (Wikipedia)

  10. When did the B-1B reach initial operating capability?

    1. 1974
    2. 1986
    3. 1997
    4. 2005
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. 1986 Now You Know: IOC was October 1, 1986, on nuclear alert. Source: DD-036 · Supersonic Striker · Write-up · Exhibit B (Into service) · Rockwell B-1 Lancer (Wikipedia); B-1B Lancer fact sheet (U.S. Air Force); B-1B 'Lancer' fact sheet, Hill Aerospace Museum (Hill AFB, archived)

  11. Who is the prime contractor for Trident II D5?

    1. Lockheed Martin
    2. Boeing
    3. BAE Systems
    4. Raytheon
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Lockheed Martin Now You Know: Lockheed Martin builds it for the U.S. Navy. Source: DD-627 · Ballistic Trident · Write-up · Exhibit A (Who built it) · U.S. Navy fact file: Trident II (D5) Missile; Lockheed Martin (Oct 21, 2009): Trident II D5 achieves record 129 successful test flights in a row

  12. When was the D5 first deployed?

    1. 1990
    2. 1965
    3. 1978
    4. 2005
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 1990 Now You Know: 1990. Source: DD-627 · Ballistic Trident · Write-up · Exhibit A (Who built it) · U.S. Navy fact file: Trident II (D5) Missile; Lockheed Martin (Oct 21, 2009): Trident II D5 achieves record 129 successful test flights in a row

  13. What does EKV stand for?

    1. Explosive Kinetic Vehicle
    2. Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle
    3. Extended Kill Vector
    4. Exo-Kinetic Validator
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle Now You Know: Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle, the intercept part of the Ground-Based Interceptor. Source: DD-011 · EKV: Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle · Write-up · Exhibit A (Part of a bigger system) · Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (Raytheon / RTX); Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System (L3Harris)

  14. How does the EKV destroy a warhead?

    1. A large explosive charge
    2. A laser
    3. A direct high-speed collision
    4. An electromagnetic pulse
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. A direct high-speed collision Now You Know: It's 'hit-to-kill': no warhead, just the force of the collision. Source: DD-011 · EKV: Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle · Write-up · Exhibit C (Hit-to-kill) · Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (Raytheon / RTX); Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System (L3Harris); Raytheon kill vehicle destroys complex, long-range ballistic missile target in space (Raytheon, Jun 22, 2014)

  15. In water, light travels at roughly what fraction of its speed in a vacuum?

    1. About 25%
    2. About 75%
    3. About 99.9%
    4. About 150%
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. About 75% Now You Know: Light slows to about 75% of its vacuum speed in water, so fast particles can outrun it there. Source: DD-020 · Cherenkov Glow · Write-up · Exhibit B (Water slows light to 75%) · Cherenkov Radiation, Explained (U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, 2023); What is Cherenkov Radiation? (IAEA); What is Cerenkov Radiation? (Hong Kong Observatory)

  16. Cherenkov radiation is often compared to which everyday effect?

    1. A rainbow
    2. An echo
    3. A sonic boom
    4. Static electricity
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. A sonic boom Now You Know: It's a 'shockwave' of light, the optical version of a sonic boom. Source: DD-020 · Cherenkov Glow · Write-up · Exhibit D (A sonic boom for light) · Cherenkov Radiation, Explained (U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, 2023); What is Cherenkov Radiation? (IAEA); Cherenkov radiation (Wikipedia)

  17. Roughly how hot do a nuclear weapon's residues get at detonation?

    1. About 5,000 °C
    2. Several thousand degrees
    3. Several tens of millions of degrees
    4. About 1 million degrees
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Several tens of millions of degrees Now You Know: Glasstone and Dolan give several tens of millions of degrees. Source: DD-052 · Nuclear Fireball · Write-up · Exhibit A (Hotter than the Reel says) · Glasstone and Dolan (1977), The Effects of Nuclear Weapons, Chapter II (Atomic Archive); US Army FM 8-9, Part I, Chapter 3: Effects of Nuclear Explosions (FAS)

  18. What does the surrounding air absorb to form the fireball?

    1. Neutrons
    2. X-rays
    3. Radio waves
    4. Sound
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. X-rays Now You Know: X-rays from the residues are absorbed within a few feet of air. Source: DD-052 · Nuclear Fireball · Write-up · Exhibit B (How the fireball forms) · Glasstone and Dolan (1977), The Effects of Nuclear Weapons, Chapter II (Atomic Archive)

  19. When did Reactor 4 explode?

    1. April 26, 1986
    2. March 11, 2011
    3. March 28, 1979
    4. August 6, 1945
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. April 26, 1986 Now You Know: It was in the Soviet Union at the time. Source: DD-297 · NUCLEAR DISASTER · Write-up · Exhibit A (April 26, 1986) · Wikipedia: Chernobyl disaster

  20. What is corium?

    1. Molten fuel mixed with other materials
    2. A type of coolant
    3. A Soviet alloy
    4. A radiation shield
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Molten fuel mixed with other materials Now You Know: It flowed like lava. Source: DD-297 · NUCLEAR DISASTER · Write-up · Exhibit B (Corium) · Wikipedia: Elephant's Foot (Chernobyl)

  21. About how large is the Red Forest?

    1. 10 km²
    2. 1 m²
    3. 1,000 km²
    4. Unknown
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 10 km² Now You Know: About 4 sq mi. Source: DD-105 · The Red Forest · Write-up · Exhibit A (Around the plant) · Wikipedia: Red Forest

  22. When did the Chernobyl explosion happen?

    1. April 26, 1986
    2. 1976
    3. 2011
    4. 1945
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. April 26, 1986 Now You Know: Reactor 4. Source: DD-105 · The Red Forest · Write-up · Exhibit B (April 26, 1986) · Wikipedia: Chernobyl disaster

  23. Where was the Baker test?

    1. Bikini Atoll
    2. Nevada
    3. Siberia
    4. Australia
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Bikini Atoll Now You Know: Marshall Islands. Source: DD-270 · Kiloton · Write-up · Exhibit A (Site) · Wikipedia: Bikini Atoll

  24. When was it?

    1. July 25, 1946
    2. August 6, 1945
    3. 1962
    4. 1954
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. July 25, 1946 Now You Know: Part of Crossroads. Source: DD-270 · Kiloton · Write-up · Exhibit B (Crossroads) · Wikipedia: Operation Crossroads

  25. What kind of weapon was the Davy Crockett?

    1. A recoilless rifle
    2. A missile
    3. A bomber
    4. A mine
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. A recoilless rifle Now You Know: Fired by a crew. Source: DD-083 · The Atomic Gun · Write-up · Exhibit A (System) · Wikipedia: Davy Crockett (nuclear device)

  26. What did it fire?

    1. The M388 projectile
    2. A torpedo
    3. A rocket
    4. Shells only
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. The M388 projectile Now You Know: Nuclear. Source: DD-083 · The Atomic Gun · Write-up · Exhibit B (Projectile) · Wikipedia: Davy Crockett (nuclear device)

  27. When was Hiroshima bombed?

    1. August 6, 1945
    2. December 7, 1941
    3. June 6, 1944
    4. May 8, 1945
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. August 6, 1945 Now You Know: First atomic bombing. Source: DD-330 · Nuclear Shadows · Write-up · Exhibit A (Hiroshima) · Wikipedia: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

  28. When was Nagasaki bombed?

    1. August 9, 1945
    2. August 15, 1945
    3. July 16, 1945
    4. September 2, 1945
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. August 9, 1945 Now You Know: Three days later. Source: DD-330 · Nuclear Shadows · Write-up · Exhibit B (Nagasaki) · Wikipedia: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

  29. When was RDS-3 tested?

    1. October 18, 1951
    2. August 29, 1949
    3. July 16, 1945
    4. 1961
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. October 18, 1951 Now You Know: Third test. Source: DD-412 · Fall Marya · Write-up · Exhibit A (Date) · Wikipedia: RDS-3

  30. Where?

    1. Semipalatinsk
    2. Nevada
    3. Bikini Atoll
    4. Novaya Zemlya
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Semipalatinsk Now You Know: Kazakhstan. Source: DD-412 · Fall Marya · Write-up · Exhibit B (Site) · Wikipedia: Semipalatinsk Test Site