The Atomic Age: Dreams, Dread, and the Nuclear Age

Throughout history, people have imagined what the future might look like, sometimes in bold visions, and sometimes in outlandish predictions. Dreams of a Future Past is a podcast that explores how humanity has dreamed of the future through movies, technology, philosophy, and design.

What if the atom could power everything from your home to your car? The Atomic Age blended retro-futurism, midcentury modern design, and Cold War anxiety, inspiring sleek gadgets, bold architecture, and stories of both optimism and destruction.

The Atomic Age emerged in the wake of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, when the world realized the atom could be both a weapon and a source of boundless energy. Governments, corporations, and pop culture embraced nuclear power with a mix of hope and fear, inspiring futuristic design, cartoons, sci-fi films, and ambitious visions of atomic-powered cities and vehicles that resonate with today's modern resurgence of AI and data center nuclear power.