Stuff They Don't Want You To Know CLASSIC: The Santa Susana Field Experiment Coverup
Oct 21, 2025
Dive into the chilling events of July 1959 when a nuclear partial meltdown occurred at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, hidden from the public eye. Explore the secrets of Cold War partnerships and the alarming worker health impacts due to radiation exposure. Hear personal testimony of cancer risks linked to the contamination and the legal battles that followed. Unearth how local journalism eventually revealed the truth, and discover the ongoing cleanup challenges that leave communities still facing uncertainty.
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Secret Dual-Use Facility Near LA
- The Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) ran rocket and nuclear research from the 1940s into the 2000s near populated Los Angeles suburbs.
- Its dual role in classified government programs and private industry fostered secrecy and limited public oversight.
1959 Meltdown And False Official Statement
- In July 1959 a reactor at SSFL partially melted down and managers vented radioactivity to avoid a worse explosion.
- The Atomic Energy Commission later called it a "fuel element failure" and denied environmental release, which was false.
Potentially Larger Release Than Three Mile Island
- Some experts estimate the 1959 sodium reactor release may have emitted far more radiation than Three Mile Island.
- NBC quoted a model saying the release could be ~260 times greater than Three Mile Island.
