Atomic Watch Battery?

 By Bruce Shawkey

Found this interesting article in a 1956 issue of Europa Star magazine about a tiny battery that could power wrist watches. The prediction, of course, came true, for now there are a variety of watch batteries, but none of them are atomic! This was probably an effort by the Atoms for Peace Program, which attempted to find peaceful uses for atomic energy after the atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In his Atoms for Peace speech before the United Nations General Assembly

on December 8, 1953, President Eisenhower sought to solve this terrible problem by suggesting a means to transform the atom from a scourge into a benefit for mankind.

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A tiny atomic battery has been developed which can provide energy for wrist watches, radios and many other appliances. The battery, demonstrated in New York recently produces energy for log periods of time and requires virtually no shielding against radiation. Representatives of the two companies interested say that the cell of the battery operates on radio-active waste of nuclear reactors. It was said to to be as safe as a housekey, giving off less radiation than the radium dials on wrist watches. It can be adopted to almost all transistor circuits and can power a wide range of items from hearing aids to guided missles. Commercial production is now limited by lack of of manufacturing facilities and the current high cost of fuel. As soon as the cost of fuel can be reduced, probably as consequence of the intervention of the Atomic Energy Commission which will gather together in the course of the present year, the devices will be produced commercially on a large scale. A particular advantage to the atomic battery is that temperature, pressure and other atmospheric variants do not affect it.