Nuclear Shadows

Nuclear shadows, also known as "Hiroshima shadows," are haunting imprints left on surfaces by the intense light and heat of a nuclear explosion.

When an atomic bomb detonates, it releases an immense flash of thermal radiation, instantly vaporizing objects or people close to the blast center. The intense heat bleaches exposed surfaces, but objects or bodies that blocked the light leave behind darker outlines, creating a silhouette effect.

These shadows were famously seen in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the atomic bombings in 1945, with shapes of bicycles, railings, and human figures permanently etched onto walls and pavements. These eerie remnants serve as powerful reminders of the destructive force of nuclear weapons and the lives lost in the blasts.