The Evolution of Nuclear Testing

Nuclear testing has evolved significantly since its inception, starting in the late 1940s and early 1950s when the understanding of nuclear technologies was rudimentary. Initial testing, often conducted in the atmosphere, aimed to collect data and validate weapon designs, allowing scientists to better grasp nuclear mechanics. As time progressed, the U.S. and other nuclear powers transitioned to underground testing, which limited data gathering for adversaries and increased data accuracy for the testing nation. This culminated in a comprehensive halt of nuclear tests in the early 1990s, once sufficient data was acquired, establishing a new era in international nuclear policy.