Friday, July 4th, 2008

Nuclear Family Vacation

XX-12 GRABLE was fired on May 25, 1953 at the Nevada Test Site. A 280mm artillery gun fired the 15 kiloton nuclear shell. This was the only time a nuclear artillery shell was ever fired. Photo courtesy of National Nuclear Security Administration / Nevada Site Of

Much of the nuclear weapons industry is top-secret, but there are parts of the atomic establishment that a tourist can see. In this hour of Science Friday, Ira talks with Sharon Weinberger, one half of a husband and wife reporting team that took a trip on a 'nuclear family vacation,' visiting public -- and not-so-public -- sites associated with atomic weaponry. We'll talk about the history and future of nuclear weaponry, and discuss which sites of atomic history can be visited by the average tourist.