Atomtests 1945-1998

The 2053 nuclear tests and explosions that took place between 1945 and 1998 are plotted visually and audibly on a world map.

As the video starts out detonations are few and far between. The first three detonations represent the Manhattan Project and the two bombs that ended World War II. After a few representative minutes the USSR and Britain enter the nuclear club and the testing really starts to heat up.

Even though the video does not differentiate between sub-critical "safety" tests and full detonations, you get a good idea of the fever of the nuclear arms race.

The time line does not extent to tests by North Korea (October 2006 and May 2009).
video credit: goes to Isao Hashimoto (www.ctbto.org/specials/1945-1998-by-isao-hashimoto/)

The video was cleaned up, re-sized and edited to fit You tube's 10min limit by the folks at Bit of Fun