Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Check out Red Atoms, the series that documents the Soviet atomic bomb program, over on Nebula: nebula.tv/redatoms?ref=joescott
Operation Plowshare was a US Government program in the 1950s that had the goal of finding peaceful uses for nuclear weapons. And yes, you read that right. It was partly a sincere effort to find practical uses for the most awesome power humanity had ever harnessed, and partly a cynical attempt to justify stockpiling nukes. One of those Plowshare projects was called Project Chariot, which aimed to create a new harbor in Alaska by setting off SIX hydrogen bombs in a river inlet near Cape Thompson. This is the story of that insane idea.
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Documentary: nebula.tv/oldestnewest
Check out my 2nd channel, Joe Scott TMI:
youtube.com/channel/UCqi721JsXlf0wq3Z_cNA_Ew
And my podcast channel, Conversations With Joe:
youtube.com/channel/UCJzc7TiJ2nnuyJkUpOZ8RKA
You can listen to my podcast, Conversations With Joe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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LINKS LINKS LINKS
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Crossroads
groundtruthalaska.org/articles/ProjectChariot
st.llnl.gov/news/look-back/plowshare-program
osti.gov/opennet/reports/plowshar.pdf
atlasobscura.com/articles/actual-1950s-proposal-nuke-alaska
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Gnome_(nuclear_test))
nps.gov/people/manhattan-project-scientists-edward-teller.htm
https://www.uaf.edu/tribal/academics/112/unit-2/alaskastatehoodandbuilduptoalaskanativelandclaims.php
sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/were-going-to-work-miracles
atomicarchive.com/history/cold-war/page-6.html
https://nuclearprinceton.princeton.edu/project-chariot
usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/slideshows/counties-with-the-highest-cancer-rates-in-the-us?slide=3
alaskapublic.org/news/2014-08-09/as-project-chariot-clean-up-ends-legacy-lingers-for-point-hope
timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1992/12/06/053092.html?pageNumber=26
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
1:20 - The Atomic Craze
2:39 - Operation Plowshare
4:47 - Project Chariot
8:55 - The Problem
12:40 - Conspiracies
15:20 - Sponsor - Nebula
Check out Red Atoms, the series that documents the Soviet atomic bomb program, over on Nebula: nebula.tv/redatoms?ref=joescott
Operation Plowshare was a US Government program in the 1950s that had the goal of finding peaceful uses for nuclear weapons. And yes, you read that right. It was partly a sincere effort to find practical uses for the most awesome power humanity had ever harnessed, and partly a cynical attempt to justify stockpiling nukes. One of those Plowshare projects was called Project Chariot, which aimed to create a new harbor in Alaska by setting off SIX hydrogen bombs in a river inlet near Cape Thompson. This is the story of that insane idea.
Want to support the channel? Here's how:
Patreon: patreon.com/answerswithjoe
Channel Memberships: youtube.com/channel/UC-2YHgc363EdcusLIBbgxzg/join
T-Shirts & Merch: laughsmarter.com
Book of Mysteries: https://a.co/d/0gRx0qvM
Documentary: nebula.tv/oldestnewest
Check out my 2nd channel, Joe Scott TMI:
youtube.com/channel/UCqi721JsXlf0wq3Z_cNA_Ew
And my podcast channel, Conversations With Joe:
youtube.com/channel/UCJzc7TiJ2nnuyJkUpOZ8RKA
You can listen to my podcast, Conversations With Joe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Spotify 👉 spoti.fi/37iPGzF
Apple Podcasts 👉 apple.co/3j94kfq
Google Podcasts 👉 bit.ly/3qZCo1V
Follow me at all my places!
Instagram: instagram.com/answerswithjoe
TikTok: tiktok.com/@answerswithjoe
Facebook: facebook.com/answerswithjoe
Twitter: twitter.com/answerswithjoe
LINKS LINKS LINKS
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Crossroads
groundtruthalaska.org/articles/ProjectChariot
st.llnl.gov/news/look-back/plowshare-program
osti.gov/opennet/reports/plowshar.pdf
atlasobscura.com/articles/actual-1950s-proposal-nuke-alaska
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Gnome_(nuclear_test))
nps.gov/people/manhattan-project-scientists-edward-teller.htm
https://www.uaf.edu/tribal/academics/112/unit-2/alaskastatehoodandbuilduptoalaskanativelandclaims.php
sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/were-going-to-work-miracles
atomicarchive.com/history/cold-war/page-6.html
https://nuclearprinceton.princeton.edu/project-chariot
usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/slideshows/counties-with-the-highest-cancer-rates-in-the-us?slide=3
alaskapublic.org/news/2014-08-09/as-project-chariot-clean-up-ends-legacy-lingers-for-point-hope
timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1992/12/06/053092.html?pageNumber=26
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
1:20 - The Atomic Craze
2:39 - Operation Plowshare
4:47 - Project Chariot
8:55 - The Problem
12:40 - Conspiracies
15:20 - Sponsor - Nebula
