In the 1940s, the Manhattan project and the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki shocked the world with the enormously destructive potential of human technology.  America raced to create atomic bombs during World War II due to fears that Germany was already working on creating weapons of mass destruction. The United States deployed the world's first atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II in an attempt to end the war with Japan. Nicknamed "Little Boy" and "Fat Man", the atomic bombs caused over two hundred thousand deaths from initial impact and long-term radiation effects. Radiation-induced cancer and birth defects from the bombings demonstrated the devastating impacts of nuclear warfare on a population. Following World War II, tensions caused by the Cold War led to the nuclear arms race, which furthered humanity’s fears that nuclear warfare would lead to a post-apocalyptic wasteland. With countries’ development of nuclear weapons, the concept of mutually assured destruction was the only safeguard protecting the world from obliteration. Since then, the frightening fact that humans can—and will—annihilate themselves with nuclear technology has shaped various media. Many of these texts use the eco horror genre to project fears of humanitarian and environmental catastrophes.  

Nuclear disasters such as Chernobyl and Fukushima have further intensified fears. The 1986 Chernobyl disaster was an accident at a nuclear power station in the Soviet Union. Several thousand experienced health impacts from the disaster, and radiation fallout also had detrimental and long-lasting impacts on the surrounding ecosystems. Fukushima was another catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred in 2011. These devastating incidents heightened fears about nuclear power, inspiring the radiation ecohorror genre.

One common idea that these texts convey is that uncontrolled technological progress is not the best way for society to advance. In radiation eco horror, texts often explore the threat of nuclear warfare—warfare that is a result of uncontrolled progress in weapons development.  Many texts portray rapid technological progress alongside nuclear disaster, and show how new technologies do not save humans from the effects of nuclear disaster. Additionally, in some texts, the destruction of technology can result in an improved society that places less emphasis on capitalism and profit. However, this restructuring of society is often too late, because communities are destroyed by radiation, and there is a shortage of resources for survival. 

In recent years, the geopolitical conflicts within the Russia-Ukraine region have sparked real fears of thrusting our world into the apocalyptic landscapes foretold in some of our most popular stories. When Russia seized control of one of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, there were fears that this acquisition could lead to a release of radioactive materials. Russia shelled the power plant and set one of the buildings ablaze. Russia’s withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty has also furthered apprehensions about a future nuclear attack. These significant events highlight the impact that radiation had on the eco horror genre not only in the past, but in the present. Because of that, there is the expectation that there will be more of this media in the future.