Can You Make It Wash My Dishes? No, But It Can Disinfect Your Food.

Do you have a calf that has hyperthyroidism? Well, your solution is clearly atomic energy. Just give him a little radioactive iodine and his thyroid will slow right down. Of course, he will probably die of radiation poisoning. That problem was not understood in the 1950s as atomic energy emerged as a panacea, though. Little was known about the negative consequences that accompany the use of atomic energy, or at least it was presumed that those little kinks would work themselves out.

Atomic energy was going to be able to be brought into every home, not just from far away nuclear power plants, but in at-home generators. We were going to fly in nuclear-powered airplanes* and drive nuclear-powered cars. Those ideas were pretty much taken off the market as realistic possibilities once the realities of possible explosions and fallout became clear. Other possible peaceful applications of nuclear technology included using it as an excavation tool in place of TNT. It requires significantly less nuclear material than TNT to make comparable holes. The drawback to using nuclear technology was, of course, the fact that it left radiation in the soil. The hope was that it would be possible, with continued research, to reduce the radiation to negligible levels. Once the radiation was low enough, nukes would have made great, inexpensive excavation tools.

One of the ideas for a peaceful use of nuclear energy mentioned in the readings was as a food preservative. A loaf of bread could be kept free of mold for months, a six month old potato sprouted like new, and an orange stayed fresh and juicy after it was treated with gamma-radiation. These treated foods were apparently given to rats without any complications, then volunteers tried it, even a few Congressmen dared to take a bite of the irradiated foods. The FDA had not approved the process, despite its living veterans.

All of these ideas are great if you want to sell atomic research to the voting public. Are your energy bills too high? Nuclear power can help you! Is gas too expensive? Nuclear energy can help you! Wouldn’t you like more efficient paths from point A to point B? Nuclear excavation can help you! Do you buy fresh foods that go bad before you use them? Waste no more, nuclear radiation is here to save the day. This sale of nuclear power as a cure-all sets off my cynic alarm. Wouldn’t it be convenient if the public supported further investigation of the capabilities of nuclear power? Marketing can help you! There was a lot of interest in doing further research on nuclear power in the post-war period among world leaders, and a certain level of fear in the population that had just witnessed its awesome destructive power. It follows, then, that the high-ups would want to show people how great nuclear power can really be. Perhaps people will set their fears aside when they see how it can serve their self-interest.

*I noticed that the would-be nuclear plane was developed by Lockeed, and I was wondering if that was a component of Lockeed-Martin, that we hear so much about in the news now. If it is, it would be very interesting to look at the development of that company in the context of the expansion of the military-industrial complex.