Atomic age began in Nevada 71 years ago — VIDEO
It was 71 years ago that the atomic age began in Nevada with the detonation of Able, the first air-dropped nuclear device tested on American soil.
On Jan. 27, 1951, the 1-kiloton bomb was set off at Frenchman Flat at the new Nevada Test Site (now the Nevada National Security Site), 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
The mushroom cloud from the bomb test could be seen in Las Vegas.
Able was part of a five-bomb test called Operation Ranger.