The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are different. Until this day the use of two atomic bombs, the destruction, the high toll of deaths and the aftermath are present in our collective mind. How can we best report about these events today?

One very clear approach is demonstrated by the “Nuke Map” mash-up. It is an interactive page where users can see how the explosion of the Hiroshima bomb (or other, even more powerful nuclear weapons) would have affected the area they know. 

The visualization/app can be found here. 

The Washington Post published a full article, providing comparison for the question "What if the Hiroshima bomb would have hit your city?"  Similarly the Sydney Morning Herald. A bit of a search might unearth many similar uses of this one visualization being used.

Two principles at work
This is an excellent example of two principles at work that help to make data-driven works have an impact: Comparison and proximity.

Comparison is very important to let us understand whether a change is big or small. There are plenty of options to do that: Comparing a trend to last year, comparing development in one country versus another and so on. The “Nuke Map” let’s us compare on geographical level - it shows how an area we know would be affected by just one bomb.

The “Nuke Map” applies a second principle that as important: Proximity. Not sure whether there is a proper, deeper scientific definition for this term in journalism - but: Proximity means that an event is “close to us”. In our minds we quickly sort through news, partially based on how far a threat is away.

Alex Wellerstein is the author/host of “Restricted Data: The Nuclear Secrecy Blog” and the creator of the “Nuke Map” app in 2012. Up to this day, based on numbers provided on the site, over 50 million “detonations” have been visualized, helping people to understand how one atomic bomb would have destroyed their home towns, not some “far away” city.

Wellerstein is a historian of science, specialized on the history of nuclear weapons and nuclear secrecy. He is an assistant professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey in the US.

• Wide range: From Peru to Al Jazeera, data journalism projects are coming from newsrooms all over the world.
• Story before visualization: The winners are all tackling specific stories, using data and visualizations. But the reporting and the story are in the center, which is important to not let data journalism end up as a technology race.
• This post aims to briefly list up all the winners. If you are looking for more background and details, head over to the GEN website. They have a description for each project. 
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Category 1: Data Visualisation of the Year (Large Newsroom)

Dov Friedman, Tech Lead, Visuals, and Tynan DeBold, Interactive Graphics Coordinator from the Wall Street Journal (United States) for „Battling Infectious Diseases in the 20th Century: The Impact of Vaccines“

Category 1: Data Visualization of the Year (Small Newsroom)

Matteo Moretti from Libera Università di Bolzano (Italy): „People’s Republic of Bolzano“.

Category 2: Investigation of the Year (Large Newsroom)

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ - United States), including Le Monde, The Guardian and 75 media partners:  „Swiss Leaks - Murky Cash Sheltered by Bank Secrecy“ and „Luxembourg Leaks: Global Companies’ Secrets Exposed“, both with Mar Cabra - Head of Data and Research Unit.

Category 2: Best Investigation of the Year (Small Newsroom)

Fabiola Torres, David Hidalgo, Óscar Castilla, Antonio Cucho and Nelly Luna from Ojo Publico (Peru):  „Sworn Accounts: An Analysis of Changes and Wealth of Lima’s Mayors“

Category 3: Best News Data App of the Year (Large Newsroom)

Bella Hurrell, for BBC News (United Kingdom): „Which Sport Are You Made For? Take Our 60 Second Test“

Category 3: News Data App of the Year (Small Newsroom)

Andrés Fernández A. and Alejandro Fernández S from El Financiero (Costa Rica): „Does School Pay Off? How Much?“

Category 4: Data Journalism Website of the Year

Florencia Coelho from La Nación (Argentina) for „LA NACION DATA: Open Data Journalism for Change“.
Background on GEN Website.

Category 5: Best Individual Portfolio

Rob Barry from The Wall Street Journal (in New York City, USA)

Category 6 - Best Use of Data in a Breaking News Story

This prize was not attributed this year.

Category 7: Open Data Award

There was a tie in this category, the prize went to two winners:

Eva Jung and Lars Nørgaard Pedersen from Berlingske (Denmark) for: #Tracked

Minhee Cho from ProPublica (United States) for „Treatment Tracker: The Doctors and the Services in Medicare Part B“

Category 8: Best Entry from a Small Newsroom

Duncan Clark and Robin Houston from Kiln (London, United Kingdom) for „The Past, Present and Future of CO2“

Category 9: General Excellence (Jurors’ Choice)

Al Jazeera America (United States) for three projects:

1.  Michael Keller for his Individual Portfolio

2. Lam Vo and Rhyne Piggott: „In Between In California“

3. Jayati Vora: „Jim Crow Returns“

Special Citation

Julius Tröger, Berliner Morgenpost (Germany): „New and Native Berliners - Who Came, Who Went And Who Lives Here Today“ (in German).

Category 10: Public Choice

Julien Goetz and Henri Poulain from France Télévisions (une émission de France 4), Paris: „DATAGUEULE“

There is a video of the data journalism ceremony here. Congratulations to all winners!