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From The Atlantic's website: Since the time of Trinity -- the first nuclear explosion in 1945 -- nearly 2,000 nuclear tests have been performed. Most of these occurred during the 1960s and 1970s. When the technology was new, tests were frequent and often spectacular, and they led to the development of newer, more deadly weapons. Since the 1990s, there have been efforts to limit the testing of nuclear weapons, including a U.S. moratorium and a U.N. comprehensive test ban treaty. As a result, testing has slowed -- though not halted -- and there are looming questions about who will take over for those experienced engineers who are now near retirement? Gathered here are images from the first 30 years of nuclear testing. Shot during Fishbowl Bluegill, this is an image of an explosion of a 400 kiloton nuclear bomb taking place in the atmosphere, 30 miles above the Pacific, as viewed from above, in October 1962. (U.S. Department of Defense) A nuclear artillery shell fired approx. 9 miles into the Nevada desert, May 25, 1953 "Rope tricks" are seen in this image of a nuclear explosion taken less than one millisecond after detonation. In Operation Doorstep, conducted during the larger Operation Upshot-Knothole nuclear bomb test, mannequins are seated at a table in the dining room of house number two, attending a "dinner party" thrown by Civil Defense officials who are testing the effects of an atomic explosion on houses and occupants on March 15, 1953. A photo of a nuclear bomb detonated by the French government at the Mururoa atoll, French Polynesia. See more photos and info here: http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/05/when-we-tested-nuclear-bombs/100061/