On an average day, someone in the world dies every 1.8 seconds. One Mississippi, two Mississi–dead. One Mississippi, two Mississi–dead.

Somewhere between 150,000 and 240,000 people died from the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many tens of thousands died in the days, weeks and years that followed. More died instantly. In Hiroshima, between 60,000 and 80,000 people were killed, literally incinerated into nothing, in a moment’s time. In Nagasaki, 40,000 people vanished in just one second.

The thermal radiation from an atomic bomb blast travels in a straight line. As a result, the blast leaves behind shadows of objects. As you look through these images, realize that each one represents a single moment in time during which hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously perished.