Anyone who has played a Fallout part knows what important role nuclear energy and of course the nuclear splitting bombs played in it. The end-time scenario of video games has a real model, the so-called nuclear euphoria of the 1950s. From this time, a special experimental case for children dates to sell in the United States and actually contained radiant materials.
Children's toys with a bright uranium
Dr. Susanne Rehn, the curator of chemistry,Explained in a blog entry by the German Museumwhat the children's toys from 1951/52 is all about. During this time there was an enormous fascination for nuclear power in society. Just a few years after the first nuclear weapons dropped to Japan, the focus was also on the peaceful use of the nuclear fission.
According to Dr. Rehn was "the great promise to have almost unlimited energy from the use of the nuclear fission was incredibly positively received." In addition, entertainment and educational products came out that parents and children should swear on the new Heilsbeler atom. Even Disney pulled the so-called "Atoms for Peace" program and brought out cartoon films.
An example of this is an experimental case with which a miniature fog chamber could also be constructed. In it, the children were able to follow the flight of the neutrons based on the traces in the fog. However, they were also exposed to a danger, because the set not only contained four different uranium minerals, but also three artificial radiation sources.
"These substances send different forms of radioactive radiation. It is very critical to see that children have worked openly with the beams." comments Dr. Rehn in their contribution. Especially when parts of it get into the children's body, there was a risk of radiation disease with long -term consequences such as cancer. For example, you can find more information about the risksat the Federal Office for Radiation Protection.
Furthermore, the makers of the suitcase continued, like Dr. Susanne Rehn describes and show images: The children should search for uranium deposits and send samples by means of a supplied Geiger counter in the great outdoors. A prize was even promised for this.
Incidentally, these remains of the uranium supplies are no longer dangerous as an exhibit,Since the glass of the boxes in the museum alone is sufficient to shield the weak spotlights. And the artificial radiation sources have now subsided anyway.
What does the exhibit actually do in Germany?This is Dr. Owe to Rehn personally. In her role as a curator of chemistry at the German Museum, she is very interested in the history of atomic research. She found the suitcase on the Internet on an auction platform, asked for it and auctioned the article.
You probably never had this suitcase in your hand, or? If so, definitely write it in the comments! But also likes to report ordinary test cases without radioactive material for children. Did you play with something like that or give it to your own children today?
