Some of us are history buffs and love pouring over old books and photographs. There’s nothing more thrilling than learning a secret about the past or discovering a buried plot twist in a story you thought you knew well. If you’re one of those people, you’ll enjoy this gallery featuring some of the most fascinating, and sometimes haunting, historical photos ever captured on camera. These rare photographs provide a glimpse into the past, and a better understanding of our collective world history.
Operation Crossroads
We all know the deathly power of a nuclear weapon and the lasting effects it can have on an area. You can’t really test these types of bombs without some type of aftermath. Well, in 1946, Americans tried to test one under water.
“The device was anchored about ninety feet beneath a barge, and when it exploded it sent up an immense column of radioactive seawater, topped by a flattened white mushroom cloud,” said Alex Wellerstein writer for The New Yorker. “The column rose some six thousand feet, then collapsed back into the lagoon, generating a wave that was nearly the height of the Chrysler Building.”
