Polio is a disease that destroys the central nervous system and can leave a victim paralyzed for the rest of his life. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a president of the United States was so afflicted. Jonas Salk invented the Polio Vaccine in 1952, and tested it for three years, during which time there was a record high number of cases, recorded at 58,387 people diagnosed in 1952. After it was introduced to the public, the number of cases dropped steadly and by 1964 there were only 198 cases, a difference of 58,189 people in 12 years.

Nuclear Power was really starting to become important in the nineteen fifty's because of fear about the Soviet Union's Nuclear weapons capabilities. The United States was the first to use the nuclear bomb in World War II, building an H-Bomb and, having used a nuclear bomb in Japan during the forties it became famous and nuclear power was a common thought of the public. Then, when the U.S. sub Nautilis, a nuclear powered sub was introduced to the fleet in 1954, public thought again turned to Nuclear power. Naturally a nuclear reactor was going to be proposed to power the growing demand for electricity. And in 1954 it finally was built, 25 miles out of Pittsburg on the Ohio river. This was the first private nuclear reactor.

Watson and Crick discovered the structure of DNA in 1953. This discovery was very important as it was the beginning of a new scientific era. They discovered this model after many false tries and false informaion. Rosalind Franklin helped out by discoverin g the double helical element to it. The science of DNA has progressed to the point where it is almost possible for new arms or legs to b grown for people who need them. This was a momentus achievement in the sphere of science.Stereo Records had a lot to do with the popularity of such legends as Elvis and Little Richad. Without them, no radio stations would have begun playing music that was making so much money for the record industry. Teens would listen to their records and not to their radios, until Alan Freed started playing it. Then all of th other radio stations caught on. Without the records, Rock, Rap and Hip Hop as we know it would not exist.

Prefabricated bomb shelters were another invention of the 50's. They were tangible evidence of the populace's fear of the Soviet Union. They cost much less than shelters you had to hire a contractor to make, but wouldn't really protect you from a blast as strong as the atom bomb. The atom bomb radiated heat five times hotter than the sun. Although these were not very useful of even practical, many people boght them out of fear.

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