1. Mannequin Mayhem: Atomic Test Dummies
LIFE.com presents pictures made in the Nevada desert by photographer Loomis Dean shortly after a 1955 atomic bomb test. According to LIFE: “The figures were residents of an entire million-dollar village built to test the effects of an atomic blast on everything from houses to clothes to canned soup.
The condition of the figures—one charred, another only scorched, another almost untouched—showed that the blast, which was equivalent to 35,000 tons of TNT, was discriminating in its effects. As one phase of the atomic test, the village and figures help guide civil defense planning and make clear that even amid atomic holocaust careful planning could save lives.”
The LIFE photo essay is quite beautiful. Be sure to check it out.
2. The Fake American Town Russia Built
3. Tunnels
Because of the war in Gaza, pictures of tunnels often show up in the news; their use by Hamas isn’t unique. Here’s a tunnel used in Berlin during the Cold War. You can read more about Berlin tunnels here and on the CIA website.
Tunnels were also used in the Vietnam War. Here’s a schematic by Scientific Research. Read an in-depth article here.
Watch a video below.
4. The Birth of Hip Hop
Want to see Hip Hop bling in person. Visit the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Can’t make the trip? Go to their website and scroll down for a playlist — the next best thing.
5. 1968 Student Protests
Today’s students aren’t the first to protest. Here’s what it looked like in 1968.
At Columbia College – Columbia University:
In Paris:
In Germany:
6. Hungary’s Communist Era Children’s Railway
The Budapest Children’s Railway is a 7-mile-long rail line in Budapest that’s operated by children aged 10-14 (aside from the train’s driver).
You can read about the railway on Kottke.
7. Lifestyle Ads from the 1950s
Shocking or idyllic? This article will help you decide.
8. Travel Ads from the Golden Age of Travel
Plan your “get away” with these ads in the Saturday Evening Post.
9. Jack Kerouac Hits the Road
Read Cold War’s post on the Beats and then go to Marginalian for more on Jack Kerouac’s Beliefs and Techniques for Writing and for Life.
10. Flying Saucers
The National Archives and Records Administration also holds records concerning Identified Flying Objects. One of the most remarkable of these is the Avrocar. You can read about it here. Want to know what the US Government had to say about UFOs in the 1950s. Watch the video below.
11. A Heavy Dose of Nostalgia
Remember the stories of summer in the Catskills. If you want a refresher check out this article. Or you can just watch the YouTube video below.
12. Cold War Fun: Let’s Get Wet
Just in case you have summer on your mind, here’s a selection of mid century swimming pools from Atomic Ranch.
What have you found on the Internet this week? Let us know in the comments.
That’s it for now. Have fun browsing!!
