Atomic Otters
How a huge mistake can be a lesson, if you're paying attention.
In 1971, the US government sent its largest nuclear bomb to an island in Alaska. They dug a 6,000 ft. tunnel and planned to test it underground, for safety.
At the time, they thought it was really important.
Unfortunately, the blast ended up killing nearly 1,000 sea otters.
People had been worried already. Even before the test they were arguments about what was more important: national security, or cute marine mammals?
They were just starting to realize how interconnected ecosystems are.
So the very same people in charge of the bomb decided they would use their powers in a different way.
They loaded hundreds of otters onto airplanes and brought them to safer places.
And today, there are nearly 40,000 of their great, great, great, great grandchildren swimming in the Pacific Ocean.
