2. The INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR INFORMATION SYSTEM Available to Purchase

As the peaceful uses of atomic energy became an accepted part of modern life, the veils of secrecy were removed from most aspects of nuclear research. Cautiously at first, the developed countries began to exchange nuclear information at scientific meetings and through journals and other media. However, with the widening range of peaceful nuclear applications came a corresponding increase in information, and the complexity of information storage and retrieval was suddenly a concern of paramount importance. National nuclear information centres were set up to satisfy the needs of scientists in their home countries, but a gap still existed in the exchange of information on the international level.