Site of first nuclear detonation being opened to tourists for one day only
by Tom Anstey | 02 Apr 2015
The site of the first ever atomic blast in New Mexico, US, is being opened up to tourists for one day on 4 April.
With the 70th anniversary of the first nuclear detonation approaching on 16 July, Trinity will be open for just a few hours as the site is still highly radioactive. Residual radiation at the desert location is about ten times higher than usual levels. For a two-hour visit, the amount of radioactive exposure received will equal an entire day’s recommended dosage, which would normally come from natural sources.
Owing to the levels of radiation, the site, which is popular with atomic tourists, is only opened up once a year. With the anniversary of the detonation approaching, residents are using the tour to raise awareness of the effects suffered from the 1945 test, which caused long-term problems including rare forms of cancer. It is thought the blast affected up to 19,000 people.
“The history of the bomb is always told through the eyes of scientists and industry,” said Tina Cordova, co-founder of campaign group the Tularosa Basin Downwinders speaking to local media. “We’ve been left out of the narrative.”
Atomic tourism is a relatively new idea, which sees tourists visit sites such as Trinity and Chernobyl to learn about the ‘Atomic Age’, observing first-hand the devastation caused by a nuclear detonation.
The landmark – which is registered on the US National Register of Historic Places – includes the base camp, where the scientists and support group lived, a monument remembering the event, and ground zero, where the bomb was placed for the explosion.
A still of the first nuclear explosion after 0.025 seconds Credit: Shutterstock.com
The site is very occasionally opened up to tourists for at most, a few hours a year Credit: Shutterstock.com
The site of the first ever atomic blast in New Mexico, US, is being opened up to tourists for one day on 4 April. With the 70th anniversary of the first nuclear detonation approaching on 16 July, Trinity will be open for just a few hours as the site is still highly radioactive. Residual radiation at the desert location is about ten times higher than usual levels. For a two-hour
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