Today's special "day" is about the start of the Atomic Age.  Unlike many  historical eras where we are not completely sure of an exact date when they started, the Atomic Age has an exact date.....July 16, 1945, when the United States detonated a nuclear weapon at its test facility in a remote area of New Mexico.  If you have older children who might be interested in this, watch the History Channel's "Modern Marvels-the Manhattan Project."  On this program, scientists and engineers relate their trials, triumphs and dark doubts about building the ultimate weapon of war in the interest of peace...

Some questions for older children might be:

*What were the negative impacts of the Atomic Age?

*What were the positive benefits?

*Do you think humanity has learned from it's past actions?

*How could the technology developed be put to a use that benefits all of mankind without any negative impact to the environment?

*Do you think that eventually another country would have developed Atomic energy, if the United States hadn't?

*What do you think about nuclear regulation?  Should a few countries regulate what other countries use/develop?

Ok people, think deep thoughts.....