In 1947, while the world came out of the trauma of the Second World War and began to flirt with the promise – and terror – of nuclear energy, an unuspected promotional campaign destined for US children put one of the most controversial objects in the history of advertising: the Lone Ranger Atomic “Bomb” Ring.
Distributed by General Mills through the Kix Cereal brand, the ring was sent home in exchange for 15 cents and an empty box. A gadget advertised with bombastic phrases such as “a ribacular scientific creation”, designed to ride the collective fascination for everything that sounded “atomic”. An object sold as perfectly safe, but which, in retrospect, leaves you speechless for possible risks, especially in the hands of a child.
A ring that contained Polonio-2210
Unlike today’s plastic gadgets, this was not a simple bright toy. The Lone Ranger Atomic Ring was a miniature spinThariscopio: a small device capable of making the particles emitted by radioactive substances visible. The ring contained a tiny quantity of Polonio-21210, an isotope that emits alpha particles. Invisible to the naked eye, these particles were made “visible” by a small zinc sulphide screen, located inside the “atomic chamber” of the ring.
The children, after removing the red base that served as a “secret compartment for messages”, had to adapt the view to the dark and look through a tiny plastic lens. After a few minutes, they could have observed true flashes of sparkling light, caused by the impacts of the particles on the screen. A real “wow” effect, capable of suggesting the imagination of an entire generation.
An atomic bomb … on the finger
The chosen name – Atomic “Bomb” Ring – was perhaps the most surreal detail of the whole operation. The Lone Ranger, a famous radio and television hero, was much better known for its silver bullets than for weapons of mass destruction. Yet, the association between the hero and the atom was forced with ease, in full harmony with the obsession of the time for the new frontiers of science.
On the attached instructions, we read:
You will see bright lights of light in the most dense darkness inside the atomic chamber. The vivid and frenetic flashes are caused by the energy issued by the atoms. Perfectly safe: we guarantee that you can wear the Kix Atomic ‘Bomb’ ring in total safety. The atomic materials inside the ring are harmless. “
Was it really sure?
The reassurance contained in advertising – and repeated in promotional materials – today makes you smile. The Polonio-22 is a highly radioactive substance, made sadly famous in 2006 for the poisoning of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. Of course, in the case of the ring, the quantity was extremely reduced and the Alfa particles could not cross the skin, but if the container had been damaged, or open, and the inhaled or ingested Polonium, the consequences could have been serious.
In the 1940s, however, the understanding of the danger of radioactive isotopes was superficial. The enthusiasm for the new “era atomic” pushed to ignore the risks. And so, millions of children received a radioactive toy to wear on the finger, accompanied by reassuring messages and bright colors.
A piece of history (disturbing)
Today the Lone Ranger Atomic Ring has become a collector’s object, sought after by vintage memorabilia fans, historians of science and curious of the nuclear era, which can be easily found on ebay, with prices that start from 30 dollars up to exceeding 300. Very rare to be found in good condition – and given the price disparity, difficult to find one authentic one, which is not a simple reproduction – represents an almost paradoxical symbol of post -war: an era suspended between the naive trust in scientific progress and the poor awareness of its side effects.
If today it would be unimaginable to distribute a product similar to a child, in the 1940s the enthusiasm for the wonders of atomic physics surpassed all caution. The Lone Ranger Atomic “Bomb” Ring remained one of the most striking testimonies of that historical moment, when even radioactivity could become a breakfast gadget.
Don’t you want to lose our news?
