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When the nuclear age erupted in the 1940s , many forecasts were made about the future nuclear world of the year 2000.

Does it mean "the apocalyptic world by nuclear weapons"? This is my best guess. Could you tell me why it goes that way?

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    Could you include the source of the quote in your question? Out of context, it sounds more like it's about nuclear energy rather than nuclear weapons to me.
    – Damkerng T.
    Commented Nov 26, 2016 at 9:14

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The future is unknown, and it would be surprising if the forecasts of the last few pages were realised in full. History teaches us that what seems to be just around the corner may never materialise due to unforeseen barriers, and that other unimagined scenarios will in fact come to pass. When the nuclear age erupted in the 1940s, many forecasts were made about the future nuclear world of the year 2000. When sputnik and Apollo 11 fired the imagination of the world, everyone began predicting that by the end of the century, people would be living in space colonies on Mars and Pluto. Few of these forecasts came true. On the other hand, nobody foresaw the Internet.

The full paragraph adds a little more context, as it's more about anticipating what the future holds for humanity, than a fear of an impending nuclear armageddon. In this context I believe the author is trying to say that people were trying to imagine what the nuclear age would bring. If posters and novels of the time are anything to go by, many people imagined a 'Jetsons' type lifestyle, where everything from cars to vacuum cleaners would be powered by nuclear energy.

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