Caitlin Kyaw

Strontium-90

Although nuclear bomb tests in the 1950s marked major milestones in modern warfare,

the environmental fallout caused wide-sweeping issues across the globe. A majority of these tests

occurred in the atmosphere, in which nuclear residue from Strontium-90 went uncontained in a

blast radius around or area near the explosions. This residue would then mix into the stratosphere

and get swept across the globe before returning to the earth in the form of precipitation. Farms

and water sources were ultimately contaminated by this nuclear residue-tainted rain, leading to

major disruptions in the food chain and health problems. Although the adverse effects of nuclear

testing have been noted and steps have been taken to prevent the spread and continuation of this

hazardous practice, Sr-90 is still affecting the worlds ecological balance and global health.
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