The Dome

The Dome

2017, Environment  -   18 Comments
7.05
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Ratings: 7.05/10 from 129 users.

The Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands - a remote location nestled deep within the vast Pacific Ocean between Australia and Hawaii - is a picturesque paradise in many respects. Adorned by clear pale blue waters, breathtaking skies and vivid vegetation, it is also home to one of the most poisonous tombs on the planet. This Cold War artifact hides toxic waste from United States nuclear tests, and rising sea levels are threatening its stability. Produced by ABC News Australia, The Dome travels to this exotic location to uncover the extent to which this structure is eroding, and the threat its leaking contents pose to inhabitants of the region.

The dome itself is a circular slab of concrete set close to the ground on a narrow strip of land. Under this concrete lies the radioactive remnants of atomic explosions conducted almost seven decades ago. Construction on the dome was completed sloppily and with little regard for safety precautions. Proper lining was not installed between the toxic materials and the underlying soil. Cracks are beginning to fester on the dome's surface and the ocean has already begun to make its way inside.

The workers who built the dome have suffered a myriad of illnesses over the years, and many of them were kept in the dark about what their construction was designed to conceal.

Sea waters are already impeding upon the structure. A typhoon could shatter it completely. If such an event were to occur, the entire Pacific Ocean could become contaminated and impact the lives of millions.

The film profiles several residents of nearby islands who were evacuated many years ago, including the inhabitants of Bikini Island, the site of a nuclear test which measured 1000 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. Even after all this time, contamination levels leave them no hope of ever returning to their homeland.

The Dome is a testament to the destructive impact of the atomic age. The ill effects of that bygone era linger to this day and continue to infect new generations. The film also sheds light on the dangers of climate change by examining one of its most unexpected and catastrophic consequences.

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Howard
Howard
4 years ago

A wonderful documentary linking what was done to the world seventy years ago with what is today being done to the world. The Marshall Islands, once victim to military madness, are now victim to corporate madness. Our bomb tests were successful; we can now destroy the world many times over at the touch of a button. Our fossil fuel use is equally successful; we are destroying the world with greenhouse gasses. The Marshall Islanders have correctly and perhaps prophetically named The Dome "The Tomb."

Kevin
Kevin
5 years ago

I wanted to watch a documentary on the dome. Tragic, but I wanted information on how it was built, technical specs, more about the people that built it. What I ended up watching was a social justice warrior documentary on climate change. What does the so called climate change have anything to do with a dome? Why do documentaries insist on ruining a good documentary with gloom and doom bad science. I bet she didn't row in a boat and bicycle to the New York climate change summit. Not going would have shown a better climate change fight, if there is such a thing.

Fred Flintstone
Fred Flintstone
5 years ago

Destroying a nation.. AI takeover. God help us!

Fred Flintstone
Fred Flintstone
5 years ago

So sad, such a beautiful place oozing in toxic sludge! And of course, Amurika will NOT own up to the calamity of disturbing a nation. (What another one?) The people there are amazing, and deserve much better than THIS! U.S. Government should own up to what they calously caused! Yep!

DustUp
DustUp
5 years ago

Laughing my hiney off. @dp thinks the world would be better off if the u.s. were completely annihilated. And how do you suppose that could/would be accomplished? And that radioactivity would be the "good" kind since it eliminates what you perceive as the enemy? And no mention of the massive continuing radioactive pollution from Japan's Fukushima by air and sea? And no doubt it would have been fine if Hitler and Japan did the annihilation via nukes had they been able to strike first in WW2 since Hitler was working on same.

However, I do agree with @Peter in that no matter who the major parties push at us, we are voting for those who enable the banksters who own the corporations to pollute, contaminate, and war monger for profit and power... at your expense.

Maybe you ought to try to get everyone to scan the country for better candidates who will "do the right thing" and support them. Having fought against advantage taking and polluting corporations, I'll wait for you to stand up first. The do nothings are really fantastic at complaining and doing Nothing. By the way, any govt that taxes more than to defend its borders, regulate for a level playing field, and independent courts, is inherently socialist to whatever degree they burden the public, and inherently corrupt. Socialism is as big a monster, so in your change seeking be careful what you ask for.

Bill Neigh
Bill Neigh
6 years ago

It's sad that this important documentary about injustice turned into climate change propaganda. Face palmed so hard when the guy talked about "climate change era". The f****ing climate has been changing always, there is no "climate change era".

Peter
Peter
6 years ago

WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED BUT WERE NOT. MOST DONT ARENT EVEN AWARE.
What matters? Smartphones. Movies. Sports Teams. Pop Stars. Our Grandparents ancestors will be turning in their graves. We..Collectively are all complicit and theres no turning back... Get ready to face the music people, this isnt a game and your smartphones wont save you.... Not your bank balance... Go look a little deeper, then into the mirror..... Your voting for these monsters!!!! - Only 0.005$ from each G20 GDP would eliminate so much suffering bt we choose to fight, kill and contaminate.....''We Vote toKill'' Look around!!!!!!Standby!!!& Goodluck

Joao Costa
Joao Costa
6 years ago

Many around the world, try to remain neutral in US foreign policies, but with realities like these, it's hard, very hard.

dp
dp
6 years ago

just another reason the planet would be better off were the u.s. to be completely annihilated

GunnarInLA
GunnarInLA
6 years ago

It's a great documentary, I gave it 9 stars (why is the score so low...?) – It was a bit "special" for me, because a few years ago I participated in a "art contest", the purpose of which was to come up with a design for the dome and the whole project of painting the dome with the winning design was to be filmed and made into a documentary. (My 5 designs were "best" says I)...but the whole thing evaporated and I never heard a word more about it. It was also meant to donate proceeds to assist Japanese children who were victims of the nuclear plant disaster in that country...
This documentary added so much context and detail – I got to see what that dome really was like...anyway, in my opinion, a wonderful documentary....

User1
User1
6 years ago

So sad what the US has done to this nation. The thing is practically no one knows about it. We could at least compensate them SOMETHING. This happened during a period where we were clueless. Step up and do the right thing!

John C Smith
John C Smith
6 years ago

Correct, Rolly. Do you really think he gives a damn? Fat chance after his "childish" behavior with cleaning up the Great Lakes, the Paris Agreement, coal mining, oil explorations and so on, and on, and on.........

Rolly
Rolly
6 years ago

Trump needs to watch this.