Early computer graphics on display in the SAGE Subsector Command Post “blue room”.
“Japanese Slot Machine”
The weirdly musical signal from the “Japanese Slot Machine” station, thought to be broadcasting from the Japanese Navy. Via this very comprehensive list.
Antiaircraft Sound Locator
An acoustical device used before the invention of radar to detect incoming planes by sound. The stereo horns ran right into the operators ears, like gigantic headphones. To the right is a spotlight for nighttime operation.
Via Wikipedia
Calutron
The “calutron” named Alpha I at Oak Ridge Laboratory; also called a “racetrack”, this device used huge magnets to separate uranium for the Manhattan Project.
Via: Los Alamos National Labs (including very high-resolution version)
Nuclear Explosion
Strange, super-minimalistic raw film of a test nuclear explosion from 1953. After several minutes of flickering gray and quiet ambient sound, the blast fills the screen all-white, then receeds to a silent, washed-out mushroom cloud. This is followed nearly a minute later by a sharp, dull blast sound (since the speed of sound is much slower than light). The video concludes with several minutes of gray clouds.
Via: Nuclear Secrecy blog