Global MuseumA Lone Ranger Atomic "Bomb" Ring, a promotional toy offered by Kix cereal in 1947....
In the nuclear-obsessed 1940s, when atomic energy symbolized progress and modernity, one cereal company decided to ride the wave—though not in the safest way. In 1947, Kix cereal launched a daring promotion: for just 15 cents and a cereal box top, children could receive the #LoneRanger Atomic “Bomb” Ring. #toys
Global MuseumThe ring wasn’t just a toy. It contained a tiny sample of polonium-210, a radioactive isotope (substance), within a spinthariscope, allowing users to observe flashes of light caused by alpha particles. The ring featured a “magic viewing chamber” with a zinc sulfide screen that glowed when struck by alpha particles emitted by the polonium. As long as it wasn’t inhaled or ingested, it was considered “safe” but polonium-210 is one of the most toxic substances known to science.