atomicheritage.org

v190R TIL the US government preformed radiation tests on unknowing US citizens in the 1940's and 50's. Victims included patients visiting hospitals for various reasons, prisoners, pregnant women, and mentally disabled children.
YpA1W TIL that in 1964, three physicists who just got their PhDs were tasked with developing a working design for a nuclear weapon using only unclassified information. The goal is to see if a country can develop a nuclear weapon without aid. They accomplished it within 2 and a half years.
Brlbd TIL of the Strategic Defense Initiative, which was an anti-ballistic missile program, launched by Ronald Reagan in the 80's, that was intended to use lasers and satellites to shoot down nuclear missiles in space. Because of this, the program was commonly referred to as "Star Wars".