Radiation in the Cold War. Nuclear everyday life and nuclear emergency in Switzerland

"Radiation in the Cold War" examines the political, scientific and social handling of radioactive radiation in Switzerland. During the Cold War, atomic bombs advanced to become the most significant threat, nuclear power plants promised huge amounts of energy, and radioisotopes fuelled biomedical research. Radiation bundled the promises and visions of the future, but also the fears and threat perceptions of the era. The study takes a look at actors from the military, administration, economy and science. It shows how radiation was dealt with in Switzerland from the end of the Second World War until the Chernobyl reactor disaster. It sheds light not only on the preparations for a future nuclear war, but also on the precautions taken for everyday nuclear life. The history of radiation and the protective measures taken against it sheds light on the still little researched political culture of Switzerland during the Cold War.