20 Photos of People Staring Blindly at Nuclear Explosions

Carly Tennes Published 06/04/2024 in creepy

While nowadays, most people in their right minds wouldn't want to be anywhere near a radioactive blast, the same could not be said of our mid-century forefathers. Throughout the '40s and '50s, "Atomic Tourists" headed to Nevada from far and wide to catch a blinding glimpse of a nuclear test.

From a ballet dancer pirouetting with the bomb to guests at a Las Vegas hotel enjoying the nuclear ambiance of a day at the pool, here are 17 photos of people staring at nuclear explosions.

List View
Player View
Grid View

1. NATO folks gather to watch a nuclear test outside of Las Vegas, 1957.
2. Folks at Hotel Last Frontier watch another explosion from the pool, 1953.
3. Ballerina Sally McCloskey strikes a pose with an atomic explosion detonating 40 miles away.
4. Guests at Hotel Last Frontier in Las Vegas witness an explosion from the pool.
5. Photographers take in all the blinding sights of a nuclear blast — date unknown.
6. A nuclear explosion detonates over the Las Vegas skyline, June 1957.
7. “Atomic Tourists” watch a bomb detonate near Las Vegas, Nevada.
8. Soldiers place their hands alongside a mushroom cloud in Nevada in May, 1952.
9. Air Force officers watch h a nuclear bomb detonate roughly 18,500 feet in the air, circa July 1957.
10. Troops gather 'round to watch a nuclear test, 1951.
11. Solders sit while witnessing a massive explosion in Nevada.
12. Canadian and British witnesses watch a nuclear test in Nevada, April 1955.
13. A mother and her son watch an atomic explosion from the comfort of their Las Vegas home, 1951.
14.
Filmmakers capture an explosion at the Nevada test site, 1957.
15.
Camera people film an atomic test, date unknown
16.
Tourists look down upon a crater from a past nuclear test, 1962.
17.
18.
"On July 19, 1957, five men stood at Ground Zero of an atomic test that was being conducted at the Nevada Test Site."
19.
20.

1. NATO folks gather to watch a nuclear test outside of Las Vegas, 1957.
2. Folks at Hotel Last Frontier watch another explosion from the pool, 1953.
3. Ballerina Sally McCloskey strikes a pose with an atomic explosion detonating 40 miles away.
4. Guests at Hotel Last Frontier in Las Vegas witness an explosion from the pool.
5. Photographers take in all the blinding sights of a nuclear blast — date unknown.
6. A nuclear explosion detonates over the Las Vegas skyline, June 1957.
7. “Atomic Tourists” watch a bomb detonate near Las Vegas, Nevada.
8. Soldiers place their hands alongside a mushroom cloud in Nevada in May, 1952.
9. Air Force officers watch h a nuclear bomb detonate roughly 18,500 feet in the air, circa July 1957.
10. Troops gather 'round to watch a nuclear test, 1951.
11. Solders sit while witnessing a massive explosion in Nevada.
12. Canadian and British witnesses watch a nuclear test in Nevada, April 1955.
13. A mother and her son watch an atomic explosion from the comfort of their Las Vegas home, 1951.
14.
Filmmakers capture an explosion at the Nevada test site, 1957.
15.
Camera people film an atomic test, date unknown
16.
Tourists look down upon a crater from a past nuclear test, 1962.
17.
18.
"On July 19, 1957, five men stood at Ground Zero of an atomic test that was being conducted at the Nevada Test Site."
19.
20.