Happy Birthday H-Bomb - You turned 55 today.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Anniversary of Bikini Atoll atomic bombing
By Mike Krumboltz


Friday marks the 55th anniversary of the United States dropping the first airborne hydrogen bomb on the Bikini atoll in the Pacific Ocean. The test was a success and symbolized a huge leap in the nuclear arms race.

According to the History Channel, people who witnessed the test remarked the resulting fireball "measured at least four miles in diameter and was brighter than the light from 500 suns."

In honor of the anniversary, LIFE.com has published a series of bomb-test photos that are both frightening and beautiful (see the full LIFE.com collection on the website). You can check out the images below, and see not just the fireballs and explosions, but also the bomb's impact on "test houses" and mannequins that researchers used to measure the bomb's terrifying power.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20110520/tc_yblog_upshot/anniversary-of-bikini-atoll-in-photographs

The link to the picture slideshow:  http://www.life.com/gallery/33842#index/0

These pictures bring out several different feelings, but I wasn't around for the 1950's, those of you who were probably have a little different sentiment.

[second_pancake]

Whoo hoo!  Happy Birthday!  Now, let's break out those fireworks...uh...wait a minute....maybe not such a great idea in this case.  Cake will be fine.

[ChriswUfGator]

Yellow Cake?

[Charles Hunter]

I remember "duck and cover" - in retrospect, here in Jacksonville, a bit futile.  Also remember wearing dog tags - so they could identify our charred remains, I guess.

Oh, good one Chris!

[Timkin]

Yellow Cake?

[RiversideLoki]

Hah! Thanks Chris, I just shot my beverage out of my nose!

I'd highly recommend reading all like.. 5 of Richard Rhodes' books on the subject. Informative and entertaining.