Lyric discussion by petermela 

Cover art for Atom lyrics by British Sea Power

well "caveat emptor" is latin for "buyer beware," so i think he's saying that if you're gonna go look into the details of things be prepared for what you're going to find, and whatever you find it's your fault for looking.

obviously it's about looking down at life on the atomic or sub-atomic level, which could be interpreted as our society today is so concerned with the tiniest of details that it's becoming a problem.

"bright but haunted age" could mean bright as in smart and also hopeful because of our science advances but haunted because we are looking at what we are never supposed to have seen by nature. and when we look at things up close, things will just stop making sense.

basically ignorance is bliss in different terms.

and the baby crying at the end with sounds of spitting...means society today isn't showing any respect for the coming generations and spitting on the future of mankind?