We tend to associate the Cold War with a time of fear over nuclear weapons and the ultimate destruction that they might bring. Yet one type of weapon of concern from this time that is often overlooked by historical accounts is bioweapons. The 1925 Geneva Protocol was the first treaty to limit not only the …
Tag Archives: USSR
Thursday Trains Summer Series: These Children’s Trains are Not Toys
In many countries, the idea of entrusting children with the operation of such a complex thing as a railway would seem insane. In certain nations, however, allowing children to participate and even run a rail line is seen as a way to build important skills and camaraderie among the young citizens of the region. The …
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Aerowagon, Black Beetle, and More: Limited Edition Propeller and Turbojet Locomotives
Note: This blog does not discuss gas turbine locomotives, which are a related but different concept. I didn’t leave them out intentionally. The original steam engine relied on coal to create steam that in turn pushed a piston. These pistons then turned the wheels and drove the locomotive forward. In the modern age, diesel locomotives …
The Interstate Highway System: History of a Grand Infrastructure Project
Whenever a bold vision to update our crumbling infrastructure or break free from our disastrous reliance on fossil fuels is proposed, there is always pessimism expressed by the majority of politicians about the feasibility of such a plan. The first question, of course, is “how would we pay for it,” a question that is never …
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Chelyabinsk-40: the USSR Nuclear Disaster Decades before Chernobyl
When you think of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, you may be able to conjure up memories of Chernobyl, the nuclear meltdown that took place on 26 April 1986 in what would become modern-day Ukraine. Thousands of people died from acute radiation sickness in the immediate aftermath or from radiation-induced cancers in the years following …
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Green Humanist 