Based on fieldwork at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - the facility that designed the neutron bomb and the warhead for the MX missile - this text examines the secret culture of a nuclear weapons lab. Exploring the scientists' world of dark humour, ritualized secrecy and disciplined emotions, the author uncovers some of the beliefs and values that animate their work. The book discusses the fact that many of the scientists are Christians, deeply convinced of the morality of their work, and some are liberals who opposed the Vietnam War and the Reagan-Bush agenda. The text also considers the anti-nuclear movement, concluding that the scientists and protesters are alike in surprising ways, with both cultures reflecting the hopes and anxieties of an increasingly threatened middle class.