The top secret plan to explode a nuclear bomb in Yorkshire

In the 1960s, America was running "Operation Plowshare": the idea that perhaps nuclear bombs could be used for peace, not war. At least some British scientists had similar ambitions, and it involved setting off a nuclear bomb under Wheeldale, in the North York Moors National Park. Based on catalogue reference ES 26 in the National Archives, mainly ES 26/2 and 26/4. "Atomic Weapons Research Establishment and Atomic Weapons Establishment: Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Explosions: Files and Reports". Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/d... The Open Government License does not cover personally identifying information, so names and signatures on documents have been blurred. Operation Plowshare footage from the Prelinger Archives: https://archive.org/details/Plowshar1961 and https://archive.org/details/Plowshar1... 🟥 MORE FROM TOM: https://www.tomscott.com/ (you can find contact details and social links there too) ❓ LATERAL, free weekly podcast: https://lateralcast.com/    / lateralcast   👥 THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES:    / techdif