The Nevada Test Site for nuclear testing for World War II has one of the worst effects on humans and animals. The increase in cancer risks and cases can be attributed to the contamination of the food supply, water, and soil as a result of nuclear testing in the southwestern United States. Iron County, Nevada was one of the first exposed to radiation. Sheep and farmers were among those affected by nuclear testing and fallout. Eighteen to twenty thousand sheep were exposed to fallout from the 1953 test resulting in a one-million-dollar loss for farmers. Five years later citizens in Utah, Nevada, and Arizona started to find leukemia and other radiation caused cancers. There is a realization that living downwind from test sites causes birth defects
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In the atmosphere, underground, and underwater. Nuclear weapons tests from 1945 to 1980 had equal amount of force and power as twenty nine thousand Hiroshima bombs. The United States population was exposed to a dose about five hundred times the radiation dose from Chernobyl. Even though radiation doses were this high, residents from surrounding states, counties, and towns downwind of the tests were encouraged to watch the nuclear tests. They were given radiation badges so they could measure exposure doses for field studies on nuclear fallout effects. In many of the southern Utah communities people were Morman. The Morman Religion states that its people may not drink or smoke so cancer rates were very low before nuclear tests. In 1965 and 1957 there were many cases of radiation caused cancer in the Morman community. There is a local realization that living downwind from test sites causes birth defects, miscarriages, thyroid issues, and leukemia due to radioactivity. Public pressure began to grow to stop nuclear testing when childhood leukemia and other cancers increased and when scientists found radioactive strontium in baby teeth of …show more content…
Sheep and farmers were among those affected by the radiation from nuclear weapons testing. Farmers who owned sheep lost one million dollars after the testing when eighteen thousand to twenty thousand sheep were exposed in 1953. After thousands of the ranchers sheep died following the blasts some ranchers brought unsuccessful lawsuits against the government. People of Utah, Nevada, and Arizona started to find leukemia and other radiation caused cancer five years after the sheep incident. Also after tests began people in the rural parts of Nevada, Utah, and Arizona started to see deer herds and bird flocks diminishing. Atomic weapons were also tested on naval fleets that included captured Japanese and German warships. There were around one hundred and seventy five ships and each would carry around two hundred goats, two hundred pigs, and five thousand mice and guinea pigs. These naval fleets were put in the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. There were three nuclear tests done here called Able, Baker, and Charlie and would detonate in alphabetical order. Able exploded at nine hundred feet above the water, Baker would explode around one hundred and fifty feet under the naval fleet, and Charlie was detonated deep underwater. The radiation cause by Able was very predictable at various weather conditions. Baker was harder to determine where radiation could spread. Contaminated water could evaporate and be
In the atmosphere, underground, and underwater. Nuclear weapons tests from 1945 to 1980 had equal amount of force and power as twenty nine thousand Hiroshima bombs. The United States population was exposed to a dose about five hundred times the radiation dose from Chernobyl. Even though radiation doses were this high, residents from surrounding states, counties, and towns downwind of the tests were encouraged to watch the nuclear tests. They were given radiation badges so they could measure exposure doses for field studies on nuclear fallout effects. In many of the southern Utah communities people were Morman. The Morman Religion states that its people may not drink or smoke so cancer rates were very low before nuclear tests. In 1965 and 1957 there were many cases of radiation caused cancer in the Morman community. There is a local realization that living downwind from test sites causes birth defects, miscarriages, thyroid issues, and leukemia due to radioactivity. Public pressure began to grow to stop nuclear testing when childhood leukemia and other cancers increased and when scientists found radioactive strontium in baby teeth of …show more content…
Sheep and farmers were among those affected by the radiation from nuclear weapons testing. Farmers who owned sheep lost one million dollars after the testing when eighteen thousand to twenty thousand sheep were exposed in 1953. After thousands of the ranchers sheep died following the blasts some ranchers brought unsuccessful lawsuits against the government. People of Utah, Nevada, and Arizona started to find leukemia and other radiation caused cancer five years after the sheep incident. Also after tests began people in the rural parts of Nevada, Utah, and Arizona started to see deer herds and bird flocks diminishing. Atomic weapons were also tested on naval fleets that included captured Japanese and German warships. There were around one hundred and seventy five ships and each would carry around two hundred goats, two hundred pigs, and five thousand mice and guinea pigs. These naval fleets were put in the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. There were three nuclear tests done here called Able, Baker, and Charlie and would detonate in alphabetical order. Able exploded at nine hundred feet above the water, Baker would explode around one hundred and fifty feet under the naval fleet, and Charlie was detonated deep underwater. The radiation cause by Able was very predictable at various weather conditions. Baker was harder to determine where radiation could spread. Contaminated water could evaporate and be