The Economic Times

In 1957, the US launched a bizarre plan to use nuclear bombs to dig canals and build harbours. It ended in 1977 after 27 tests

Project Plowshare aimed to revolutionize construction by utilizing nuclear explosions for large-scale projects such as canals and harbors. This revolutionary idea caught the imagination of scientists and engineers alike. However, environmental hazards and the risk of radioactive contamination overshadowed its potential. As conventional methods progressed and became more viable, the idea lost its financial attractiveness, leading to the program's termination in 1977, illustrating the constraints of technological experimentation.