The Age of Radiance: The Epic Rise and Dramatic Fall of the Atomic Era
Nelson (Rocket Men, 2009) presents a sweeping panorama of the nuclear age, from Wilhelm Röntgen’s discovery of X-rays to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, paying particular attention to the colorful scientists whose brilliance and diligence unlocked the secrets of the atom. These include the big names whose contributions have been well documented, like Marie and Pierre Curie, Enrico Fermi, Leo Szilard, and Robert Oppenheimer, but also lesser-known figures, including the “suicide team” of Tokyo Electric technicians (derisively nicknamed “gamma sponges”) who entered the Fukushima reactor to manually open its exhaust vents. Nelson tells their stories vividly, with a journalist’s eye for symmetry and irony; the science itself is, at times, less central to his narrative than the fusion-reactions of interacting scientists and government officials. Despite truly harrowing descriptions of Chernobyl and Fukushima, as well as a tense account of Cold War nuclear maneuvers, this selection at times sounds a note of disappointment at the world’s emerging squeamishness about the “two-faced god” of nuclear technologies. “It is time,” Nelson suggests, “to learn to live with blessed curses.” --Brendan Driscoll