A worthwhile principle to keep in mind is:(Psalm 146:3) Do not put your trust in princes Nor in a son of man, who cannot bring salvation.
In “A Message to Intellectuals,” released on August 29, 1948, Albert Einstein reflected on the less glamorous moments of science when he stated: “By painful experience we have learnt that rational thinking does not suffice to solve the problems of our social life. Penetrating research and keen scientific work have often had tragic implications for mankind, . . . creating the means for his own mass destruction. This, indeed, is a tragedy of overwhelming poignancy!” An Associated Press release read: “Britain Admits Testing Radiation on Humans.” The British Ministry of Defence confirmed that the government had carried out human radiation experiments for nearly 40 years. One of these experiments involved the testing of an atom bomb at Maralinga, South Australia, in the mid-1950’s. Maralinga is a name derived from an Aboriginal word meaning “thunder,” and this isolated area provided the perfect place for Britain to carry out its scientific experiments. After the first blast, the euphoria of success was in the air. One Melbourne newspaper report read: “As the [radioactive] cloud faded, convoys of trucks and jeeps brought the British, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand servicemen who’d faced the blast in dugouts just five miles from the explosion point. And every face wore a smile. They could have been coming back from a picnic.” The science correspondent for the British Daily Express newspaper, Chapman Pincher, even composed a song entitled “Pining for the Mushroom Cloud.” Add to that the assurance of a government minister who said that the test had gone completely according to plan and that there would be no radiation hazard to anyone in Australia. Years later, however, the smiles were wiped off the faces of those dying from radiation exposure, and an avalanche of compensation claims followed. No “Pining for the Mushroom Cloud” now! Maralinga is still a restricted area as a result of radiation pollution. The United States’ experience with atom bomb tests in Nevada seems to be much the same. Some feel that what is involved is a political issue and not a scientific blunder. Atomic scientist Edward Teller said: “It is not the scientist’s responsibility to determine whether a hydrogen bomb should be used. That responsibility rests with the American people and their chosen representatives.”
