Rising Fear of Nuclear Technology

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. Governments’ lack of communication with the public also led to widespread concerns about the development of nuclear weapons. In response, authors, filmmakers, and artists used 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. The meltdown of a nuclear reactor in Fukushima, Japan was another catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred in 2011. These devastating incidents heightened fears about nuclear power, inspiring more radiation eco horror. 

Common Themes in Radiation Ecohorror

One common idea that radiation eco horror 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. 

Another common theme is the hostility of an unforgiving nature and the fear of the unknown in nature. Post-apocalyptic settings, which are common in the horror genre, demonstrate how careless destruction of nature can lead to humanity’s own demise. Many texts also focus on societal challenges and nature’s indifference to humanity’s fate. Additionally, texts in the horror genre vary in their degree of optimism in the face of nuclear disaster. While some texts emphasize that humanity can recover from nuclear disaster, others find nuclear disaster to cause irreparable damage. These media complement each other and show both the direct horrors of radiation and the horror of inhabiting and rebuilding from an annihilated world.

Although there are common themes that are shown through various modes of eco-horror media, there are rare instances where they break away from these ideas. For example, instead of the environment being antagonized, it could be potentially seen as something beautiful. This can be reflected through the setting of the story or the color palette of the film, while still keeping the archetypal eco horror aspects. This gives a different perspective on the genre and allows its audience to experience different yet significant feelings. For example, the feelings of fear may not stem from the environment, but from the unknown aspects of it. In a post-apocalyptic environment, there is no guarantee of what the future holds. Ideas such as these play a major role in non-typical forms of eco horror media.