LIST 37

46 Nuclear Tests by the US

The nuclear priesthood has a tradition of giving interesting names to test detonations of atomic weapons. Often, they're named after animals, food, Southwestern cities, Native American tribes, and everyday objects. Most are pretty mundane, but out of the hundreds of tests, a few monikers are memorable. Some reveal gallows humor (Dead, Bye, and Calamity), while others seem darkly humorous only in retrospect (Rummy, Waco). Many will make your mouth water (Brie, Chocolate, Cinnamon, and Cognac), and still others make me wonder what else was happening at the Nevada Test Site (Sappho, Climax).

Department of Energy photo of the Climax test detonation.

1950s

1. Annie

2. Climax

3. Eddy

4. Fig

5. Flathead

6. Koon

7. Tesla

8. Zuccini

 

1960s

9. Absinthe

10. Anchovy

11. Barracuda

12. Bye

13. Calamity

14. Chinchilla

15. Chipmunk

16. Chocolate

17. Cinnamon

18. Cognac

19. Daiquiri

20. Dead

21. Diluted Waters

22. Fizz

23. Gerbil

24. Gum Drop

25. Mad

26. Marshmallow

27. Nipper

28. Numbat

29. Persimmon

30. Platypus

31. Red Hot

32. Tiny Tot

37. Gazook

38. Haplopappus

39. Rummy

40. Sappho

41. Sheepshead

 

1970s

33. Backgammon

34. Diamond Dust

35. Diana Mist

36. Dido Queen

 

1980s

42. Brie

43. Darwin

44. Midas Myth

45. Waco

 

1990s

46. Hunters Trophy

Number of Civilians Killed by Bombing During World War II

Britain: over 60,500
Germany: 570,000 to 800,000
Japan: 442,000 to 1,000,000 or more