A Nuclear World

By Luke Schmitz

Isao Hashimoto created a short video that shows all of the nuclear explosions between 1945-1998 called Atom Bomb-A Time Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion Since 1945.   The video was incredibly haunting, while being almost musical simultaneously.  It began with simply the clicking of time, which was counted by the months of the year.   I felt that this introduction was almost eerie in a sense because it was so quiet, with the simple ticking sound of time along with an explosion noise from each nuclear explosion.  It started out slow, which was what I would have expected because prior to this, I feel that you are unaware of how many explosions have occurred.  However, shortly after, the explosions become like musical sounds because they are so frequent, and the ticking of time acts as a metronome that is constant and subtle.  I felt that it was easy to forget about what you were watching because it felt so similar to a song.  However, it was that effect that made the video so haunting because once you remember that those sounds represent nuclear explosions, it is almost impossible to comprehend how many explosions have taken place.  The video was certainly eye opening, especially when it is shown that the United States has 1,032 nuclear explosions, which was the most of any country.

Full Body Burden is written by Kristen Iversen and explains her story of the Rocky Flats nuclear site.  I thought this novel was interesting because it shows Kristen’s perspective as a child, which shows her innocence.  However, I thought that you could almost compare her innocence and lack of knowledge to the adults in the book.  In the first chapter, it proceeds to say how the elected officials in the area are clueless to the new plant being built in Colorado.  I found this to be interesting because you would think that elected officials should be the first people to learn about huge plants being built, and even they were left in the dark about the plant.  This was a good representation of how big business can have more power than politicians and the government.  I also thought that the book shows how adults have the same lack of information that Kristen has.  On page 12, Kristen asks her mother what Rocky Flats is, and her mother's response is, “I don’t know...It’s run by Dow Chemical.  I think they make cleaning supplies.  Scrubbing bubbles or something.”  I thought that this was a great example of how misinformed the people of the community are and how her mother’s response is almost innocent and something you would hear from a child.  

The use of children seems to be a common theme when discussing nuclear disaster.  I feel as if children are used because they are innocent and shouldn’t have to face the future disasters that nuclear explosions could bring.  The K.I.R. video  Blind is another video that uses children.  The video features a man’s future child who has health problems due to a post-nuclear war.  Once he sees his child’s deteriorated health, he realizes how devastating the world is that he is living in.  I feel like using children in the media is a good way to make an impact because people feel bad for children and can relate to wanting to keep their children safe from harm.  

Into Eternity, directed by Michael Madsen is a movie about Finland creating a nuclear waste site designed underground.  Personally, I found the movie to be ominous and almost frightening.  The movie is very dull in color and has many sounds and beats that are very eerie.  I personally did not like this film because I thought that it was a little difficult to watch due to the lack of music, monotone voices and the fact that every scene seemed so grey.  The scare tactic and monotone voices would have been more effective in a shorter film and would have kept my attention better.  I feel like the full-length movie was simply too long and a bit boring to be as effective as it could have been.

An article on Reuters.com called, “Exclusive-Britain told U.N. monitors of Active Iran Nuclear Procurement: panel,” was written by Louis Charbonneau April 30, 2015.  It shows the concern that the U.K. has for Iranian nuclear control.  I certainly understand the concern that they might have because they don’t want Iran to use any nuclear power for violence.  However, I feel like the U.K. is being hypocritical because they have nuclear control themselves.  Not only that, but according to the video by Hashimoto, the U.K. is responsible for 45 nuclear explosions between 1945-1998.  I feel like a country that is responsible for so many nuclear explosions shouldn’t have so much concern for another country having nuclear control.  I think that this shows just the power of the media because they make Iran seem like the bad guys, when in reality, the U.K. is not an angel by any means.