I love these images — created by photographer Clay Lipsky — and their premise: “Imagine if the advent of the atomic era occurred during today’s information age. Tourists would gather to view bomb tests, at the ‘safe’ distances used in the 1950s, and share the resulting mobile phone photos” on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
When I was a little kid I saw The Day After. I had nightmares for months and lived terrified, thinking that nuclear war could happen at any time (War Games only reinforced that thought). But now these mushrooms are so iconic that, even while I know they are terrible for the planet and its inhabitants, I have a tiny secret desire to watch one in real life. And instagram the hell out of it with the tag #uraniumfireworks.
Perhaps they should open an atomic park in Bikini Island, where tourists can go and see simulated nuclear bombs detonating in the distance.
Until that happens, enjoy Lipsky’s photomerging work in his Atomic Overlook series. Check out the rest at the artist’s website. [Krop via Petapixel]