1999 - The Survivalist's and the Nukes
Y2K Survival Guides
In 1999, Y2K survival guides had their own section within most mainstream bookstores. Each tome dedicated to helping people plan for the coming techno-doomsday. An excellent example of Y2K survivalist literature is the ‘Y2K Survival Guide and Cookbook’. Its detailed instructions on how to cope in an emergency, perform first aid, locate water, heat and light, and how to handle waste and food storage, making it one of the more popular survival preparation books of the time.
Bates & Bates’ Y2K Survival Guide and Cookbook Paperback Book Front Cover, Back Cover and Contents Page (Bates & Bates 1999)
Nuclear Weapons
A more worrisome Y2K concern was the potential danger the date-related problem posed regarding nuclear weapons. While an accidental launch of a missile was deemed unlikely, the chance of a launch based on incorrect data or a nuclear accident, increased due to possible Y2K malfunctions. The article below was written for an educational journal and discusses at length the lack of policy concerning nuclear power safety in the shadow of Y2K. Our curator has recorded an audio narration to accompany this artefact.
