bomb pulse
n.— «Because of atmospheric testing of nuclear bombs between 1945 and 1960, the atmosphere received a sharp spike of carbon-14, commonly called the “bomb pulse,” that has been declining to normal levels as excess carbon-14 has been absorbed into the ocean. The yearly amount of carbon-14 has been carefully monitored and is well known.» —“Study: Radioactive eyes don’t lie” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania) Feb. 23, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Mark from Greenville, South Carolina, has heard that the phrase more bang for your buck originated with the U.S. nuclear weapons program and wonders if it’s true. The expression is more broadly associated with post-World War II U.S. military culture...
The new book Gesture: A Slim Guide (Bookshop|Amazon) by linguist Lauren Gawne includes some fascinating studies about the movements that accompany spoken or signed language. In one, participants were asked to learn rules of a game, then explain...