Talks to Watch

A Time-Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion Since 1945 - by Isao Hashimoto

15.8M views · Oct 24, 2010 · 14:25 · 2 HN recommenders · 9 mentions · discussed 2013–2025

Isao Hashimoto's time-lapse map shows all 2053 nuclear explosions between 1945 and 1998, with each nation getting a blip and a running tally. Each second represents one month.

Why Hacker News points people here: Used as a striking visualization of the sheer scale and rhythm of nuclear testing, and as a model for conveying scale with a counter.

“It really puts into perspective just how many nukes have gone off for purposes other than to kill people.”HN comment, 2014

What Hacker News said 9

RecommendsmalandrewSep 2013

“One of the most fascinating things is seeing how every string of nuclear tests in Russia were quickly followed by many more detonations in the US.”

Time-lapse showing US and Russian test series following each other.

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That opening paragraph really puts the following time-lapse animation showing every nuclear explosion since 1945 in perspective: this video One of the most fascinating things is seeing how every string of nuclear tests in Russia were quickly followed by many more detonations in the US.

in “Want to See China’s Latest Top Secret Military Site? Just Google It” · view on HN
Recommendssillysaurus3Oct 2014

“It really puts into perspective just how many nukes have gone off for purposes other than to kill people.”

Time-lapse of 2053 nuclear detonations, over 1000 by America.

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Here's a timelapse of every nuclear explosion since 1945. It really puts into perspective just how many nukes have gone off for purposes other than to kill people. It's amazing that only two were used for violence. this video According to the video, people have detonated 2053 nukes, and America has the dubious distinction of having detonated over 1000.

in “The USSR used a nuclear charge to stop a gas well fire in 1966” · view on HN
Cites itzsomborAug 2013

Shows scale of nuclear testing relative to Fukushima.

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Considering the impact of fishing perhaps a bit of paranoia will do good for the biosphere. Still I must point out that whatever radiation is released or will be released from Fukushima, is nothing compared to what nuclear weapons testing had done in the last century: this video so enough scaremongering.

in “At the Very Least, Your Days of Eating Pacific Ocean Fish Are Over” · view on HN
Cites itadam-fSep 2013
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I don't understand why an accidental detonation of a warhead would produce "lethal" fallout. Yet there's comparatively little concern (and rightfully so) over the 2000+ intentional test detonations done around the world so far? this video

in “A Sneak Peek at Eric Schlosser's New Book on Nuclear Weapons” · view on HN
Cites itrolandogOct 2015
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I've always wondered why don't they allow the testing of those rockets in stable ground? We've done crazier tests, like nuclear testing: this video

Cites itcyberferretJan 2017

Counter-style visualization of nuclear explosions as a model for conveying scale.

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That site really drives the tragic results of drone strikes, however from a UX perspective, I wish they would not use a stacked sliding bar for the death count at the top. Seeing the death of children growing at the start is heart wrenching, but as the other values grow, the 'children' bar actually shrinks, devaluing the impact of the tragic toll. Perhaps counters like the "Every Atomic explosion since 1945 video"? [0] Might drive home the point a little better? [0] - this video

in “President Obama's International Visits from 2009 to 2016” · view on HN
Cites itLeoPantheraMay 2020
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Related, and from the title I actually thought it was going to be this: "A Time-Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion" this video

Cites itjohntfellaAug 2024
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Bloomberg did a good mini-doc on pfas 8 months back; link I suspect it might end up being an all or the above kind of situation, perhaps mixed in with transgenerational effects from atmospheric atomic tests and so forth ( this video , link , & link )

in “Rising rates of cancer in young people prompts hunt for environmental culprit” · view on HN
Cites itJBiserkovOct 2025

“A Time-Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion Since 1945 - by Isao Hashimoto”

Time-lapse where one second equals one month.

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I mean, just the nukes alone are incomprehensible, adding all the conventional munitions ... I'm out of words. A Time-Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion Since 1945 - by Isao Hashimoto this video 1 second = 1 month

in “China has added forest the size of Texas since 1990” · view on HN