downwinders
DOWN-win-derz
Definition
People who lived downwind from the Nevada Test Site and were exposed to radioactive fallout from U.S. nuclear weapons testing during the 1950s and 1960s.
How do you pronounce downwinders?
Downwinders is pronounced DOWN-win-derz (IPA: //ˈdaʊnˌwɪndərz//).
Where does downwinders come from?
The word is a compound of 'down' and 'wind,' referring to the direction of the wind relative to a source of air pollution or radiation. It emerged in the 1950s to describe residents living in the path of radioactive debris drifting from nuclear test sites.
In the news
The term is used to describe the vulnerable population living near the Nevada Test Site who were exposed to fallout; it highlights the focus of the current research on long-term health consequences for these individuals.
Utah bone fragment with shocking cesium level is raising new questions about nuclear test harm
Read the full article ↗The Cool Down
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