XMAS WENT WITH BANG...& MUSHROOM CLOUD!

AS bland as the 1971 toys may now seen, they represented a sweeping change in health and safety.

Makers understood sharp objects, tiny beads and flammable material could be lethal in small hands.

The days of the U-238

Atomic Energy Lab – rightly considered the most dangerous toy ever produced – were, thankfully, long gone.

The Atomic Energy Lab was just that! Released in 1950, it came with your own uranium deposits. That would make any child glow with happiness.

Website Antique Trader explains: “When The Atomic Energy Lab hit the market in 1950, promising more than 150 ‘exciting experiments’ for the junior scientist, it was one of the most elaborate science kits available.

“In addition to four small jars of actual uranium, it had betaalpha, beta and gamma radiation sources. It contained a cloud chamber, a spinthariscope (a device for watching atoms decay – FUN!), an electroscope, and a Geiger counter to see if your dog, Spot, was sneaking radioactive scraps from your lab behind your back, the scamp.”

The lab also included a instruction book and a guide to mining uranium. But wait, there’s more.

“The kit boasted a handy manual on how to split atoms. I know what you’re thinking: Gosh, that sounds dangerous. Well, don’t worry Mom and Dad, the manual features the classic comic book couple Blondie and Dagwood Bumstead, as well as their children, dog and friends, who all explain the basics of atomic energy. So you know it’s safe.”

I can almost hear the cries of: “Daniel, stop splitting that atom and come down

your tea.”