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However, things took a wrong turn when this energy was unleashed for military purposes. The tragic case of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and thousands of nuclear tests have proved that a single nuclear bomb can destroy a whole city and kill millions of inhabitants. There are sufficient nuclear weapons to totally destroy Earth many times over. Is there any guarantee that nobody will push the proverbial “red button”? The only way to totally eliminate nuclear risks is to dismantle nuclear weapons once and for all.
How did nuclear weapons originate? In a way, the use of nuclear energy is an admirable achievement. The foundations were laid in Ancient Greece, where philosopher Democritus stated that matter is made up of many tiny bodies that we are unable to perceive with our senses. He assumed that these bodies could not be divided and called them atomos, which means “indivisible”.
Eventually, the atom also became an essential element for the construction of a nuclear weapon. Many resources were spent on the development of the first nuclear weapon. An important step leading to the construction of nuclear weapons was the discovery of radioactivity or radioactive transformation.
Did you know that… the two nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 killed nearly 200 000 people?
Nazi Germany wanted to be the first to build a nuclear weapon to achieve a "great victory"…
Fortunately, they failed. If Germany had had nuclear weapons at its disposal, it could have used them on European territory, with far-reaching consequences.
...but the United States soon took over the lead.
USA responded to this German threat by accepting numerous European scientists, including nuclear physicists, leading to the Manhattan Project. In November 1942, construction of a top-secret atomic weapons’ laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico began. Julius Robert Oppenheimer was in charge of the 5 000 scientists to solve the fundamental question of how to explode an atomic bomb.
In June 1945, Gadget was finally built – an implosive plutonium bomb. The Trinity Test was held near Alamogordo, west of Los Alamos on July 16, 1945. The resultant atomic mushroom became the symbol of nuclear war. The effects of the nuclear explosion were visible up to 125 miles away. The steel tower on which the bomb had been placed disappeared and a crater of 1 000 feet in diameter was formed. The blast reached an efficiency of 20 kilotons of TNT. This was 100 times more than expected.
Did you know that… the most powerful nuclear weapon – the Tsar Bomba tested by the Soviet Union in 1961 – was over 4 400 times as powerful as those dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945?
Nuclear Attack on Japan Nuclear weapons were first used in WWII. Near the end of the War, President Truman decided to use the atomic bomb in the hopes of bringing the War with Japan to a speedy end. The second objective was probably to demonstrate the new weapon of mass destruction to the Soviet Union. The Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed on August 6 and 9, 1945.
Two nuclear bombs were used, Little Boy and Fat Man.
Little Boy was a uranium bomb, 10 feet high, weighing 9 000 lbs and containing 142 lbs. of enriched uranium. Little Boy exploded at an altitude of 2 000 feet above the city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 at exactly 8.16 a.m. local time. The explosion instantly caused approx. 70 000 deaths, and the same number of people died later, as a result of radiation or injuries. A total of approx. 140 000 people perished.
Fat Man was a plutonium bomb, weighing 10 000 lbs. and containing 14 lbs. of pure plutonium. The bomb exploded at an altitude of 1 800 ft above the city of Nagasaki on August 9 at 11.02 a.m. local time. Approximately 40 000 people died instantly, with another 25 000 injured and thousands dying later died from the effects of radiation. In total, about 74 000 inhabitants perished.
Following this nuclear attack, Japan capitulated and WWII ended.
Did you know that… while there has only ever been the use of 2 nuclear weapons in warfare, there have been over 2 000 nuclear tests since WWII?
Beginning of the Arms Race Consequently, a kind of "Arms Race" started among the powers. Countries wanted to own highly destructive weapons, to achieve dominance over other countries. After WWII, the development of nuclear weapons continued, with many more countries eventually having nuclear weapons at their disposal.
Nuclear Testing After the end of World War II, the nuclear program continued on a large scale. USA carried out hundreds of nuclear explosions, through which it demonstrated its military strength to the rest of the world. Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific was chosen for the test base. In 1951, another test area was opened in Nevada. Effects of the tests were seen in animals in the vicinity.
More than 2 000 nuclear tests have already been carried out worldwide, and some areas have become uninhabitable as a result of the radiation released.
How do Nuclear Weapons Function? The principle of nuclear weapons is based on the release of energy from the nuclear nucleus. Theoretically, it is possible to split the core of any element. However, only isotopes of some heavy elements are used to obtain nuclear energy – in particular, two isotopes of uranium, 235U and 233U, and plutonium isotope 239Pu, which form the basis of a nuclear bomb.
Even more destructive bombs exist today! The principle of the hydrogen (or thermonuclear) bomb is based on the fusion of the nuclei of hydrogen isotopes. The classic atomic explosion creates an initial temperature of several million degrees Fahrenheit, which starts a nuclear fusion. The energy impact of a hydrogen bomb is 1 000 times greater than that of a fission bomb. The worst thing about a thermonuclear bomb is that it's the total weapon. Mankind can go no further in its destructive abilities.
A hydrogen bomb is more powerful than a nuclear bomb, but it is harder to make. The neutron bomb, which limits the destructive effect and, conversely, enhances the emission of various types of radiation, is a type of hydrogen bomb. Its main target is living organisms. The aim is to kill only living creatures, but not to damage the infrastructure too much – which is not yet possible.
Who are the Nuclear Superpowers? Under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), five nuclear powers are currently recognized: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and the People's Republic of China. Two other countries, India and Pakistan, which were not signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, conducted nuclear tests - India in 1974 and Pakistan in the 1990s. North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Disarmament Agreement in 2003, after which it conducted its own nuclear tests. Israel is suspected of owning nuclear weapons, but has never officially commented on it and has not acceded to the nuclear disarmament agreement.
Non-Proliferation Treaty The first sign of a world without nuclear weapons is the Antarctic Treaty which came into force in 1961. This Treaty stated that Antarctica could be used only for peaceful purposes and nothing of a military character should take place in Antarctica.
Efforts to dismantle nuclear weapons permanently In 1961, the United Nations Disarmament Commission was established, which played a key role in drafting the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, approved by the UN General Assembly in June 1968. On July 1, 1968, the Treaty was signed by the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and 59 other countries. The validity of the Treaty was extended for an indefinite period in 1995. By 2000, 187 countries had signed it, but exceptions were Cuba, Israel, Pakistan and India.
The Biden administration has extended the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which is another important step in arms control. However, critics argue that the Treaty cannot stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons or the motivation to acquire them. They express disappointment with the limited progress on nuclear disarmament, with several countries still having too many warheads in their stockpile.
“A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. The only value in our two nations possessing nuclear weapons is to make sure they will never be used. But then would it not be better to do away with them entirely?” Ronald Reagan.
Although superpowers claim to have nuclear weapons only for defense, there have been at least 200 cases of nuclear alarm, due to technical or human error, when the unknowing world found itself on the threshold of nuclear annihilation. The current nuclear arsenal is so huge that it can totally destroy our entire beautiful planet 18 times over.
What are the effects of a nuclear weapon? The power of an atomic bomb is measured in tons, kilotons or even megatons of trinitrotoluene (TNT). A nuclear explosion is not just a pressure wave, but five interconnected phenomena: heat, light, pressure wave, radioactive gradient, and EMP, or electromagnetic pulse.
The impact of a single bomb was seen in Japan in 1945 The main destructive factor is the pressure wave. In Hiroshima, the pressure wave destroyed 60 % of buildings over a total area of 7 sq. miles. The source of light radiation was a fireball that can be compared to a small artificial sun, shining only for a few seconds. The temperature reached several million degrees Fahrenheit.
20 to 30 % of fatal injuries in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were directly attributed to light radiation, causing burns within 3 miles of the epicenter of the explosion. Other fatal injuries were caused by fires, which formed the "fire storm" in Hiroshima. Penetrating radiation and radioactive contamination resulted in many more deaths. A large quantity of radioactive dust infested vast areas for a long time, including agricultural areas and sources of drinking water.
The two nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 killed nearly 200 000 people. However, current nuclear weapons are much more powerful.
Did you know that… detonating 50 nuclear bombs could kill 200 million people?
How many nuclear weapons are out there? It is estimated that there are approximately 13 080 nuclear warheads in the world today. While this is far fewer than either the U.S. or Russia possessed during the Cold War peak, it is notable that there are more countries with nuclear weapons than there were 30-40 years ago. At present, Russia maintains the highest number of nuclear weapons, with an estimated 6 375 warheads. The United States follows closely behind with 5 800 nuclear weapons.
Did you know that… a total of 9 countries possess nuclear weapons?
Reducing the risk of nuclear war will require domestic policy changes within all those countries, as well as collaboration and verified agreements between them.
How many nuclear weapons are missing? In the Cold War, thousands of nuclear weapons were built and deployed. In the vast majority of cases, these destructive weapons were subject to the strictest safety conditions. However, accidents do happen. Some of the weapons involved remain missing to this day.
A "Broken Arrow" is an unexpected event that results in the accidental launching, firing, detonation, theft, or loss of a nuclear weapon. These events are, worryingly, more numerous than you might think. Approximately 32 nuclear incidents have occurred which could be classed as “Broken Arrow” since 1950.
Did you know that… radiation exposure from nuclear tests and nuclear waste storage cause serious health problems to exposed communities?
For example, over 500 000 workers in nuclear weapons’ complexes during the Cold War were exposed to radioactivity and dangerous chemicals.
Uranium mining poses a significant health risk to workers and surrounding communities, especially through exposure to radon-222, which can cause lung cancer.
The most dangerous consequences of the use of nuclear weapons
Light flash The first manifestation of a nuclear explosion is a sharp flash of light that can cause temporary blindness to persons looking in the direction of the explosion.
Shockwave The shockwave and heat that the detonation of a single nuclear weapon creates can end the lives of millions of people instantly. The pressure wave sweeps away everything in its path. All buildings within a 4-mile radius will be swept away.
Heatwave The epicenter of the explosion is actually a very hot bubble with a temperature much higher than the temperature of the Sun's surface. At a short distance (in the order of feet), concrete evaporates due to thermal radiation. At greater distances (in the order of miles) all flammable objects are ignited. A 1-megaton bomb radiates heat that evaporates everything within 3 miles of the explosion, ignites almost everything within 8 miles. All living organisms suffer severe burns 11 miles from the epicenter.
Wind 35 % of all the energy released during a nuclear explosion is radiated into the environment in the form of heat, creating temperatures comparable to the surface temperature of the Sun. This thermal energy propagates at the speed of light. Cities that are attacked by nuclear missiles burn at such an intensity that they create their own wind system – a firestorm: hot air above the burning city ascends and is replaced by air rushing in from all directions. Storm-force winds fan the flames and create immense heat.
Gamma Radiation Gamma radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a very short wavelength. It has the ability to disrupt the cells of living organisms and cause their decay. The effect of gamma radiation was unfortunately manifested during the Chernobyl power station disaster.
Electromagnetic Pulse During the explosion, an impulse capable of destroying electronic devices and power lines is radiated to the surroundings. Semiconductors sinter, cars’ engines are turned off by ignition, high-voltage wires are pulled out of their mountings, etc. It is estimated that five nuclear bombs at the appropriate height are enough to turn off the US.
Ionization of Atmosphere This will cause temporary interruption or intense interference to radio communications. Charged particles flow under the influence of the Earth's magnetic field and affect the operation of satellites. Some satellites will be completely eliminated.
Earthquakes An earthquake can spread on the surface after the explosion. In the event of an explosion below the water surface, a massive wave spreads around the area, destroying vessels. An underground nuclear explosion causes earthquakes with a delay of thousands of miles.
Radioactive Fallout Radioactive dust from detonated bombs rises up into the atmosphere and dissipates over large areas, causing deadly levels of radiation. The result is the contamination of vast agricultural areas, causing long-term damage to living organisms, risk of cancer and premature deaths.
Changes in Stratosphere Very powerful hydrogen and lithium bombs can damage the ozone layer and change the air currents in the Earth's atmosphere. Large columns of smoke and soot rise up above burning cities and travel all the way up to the stratosphere. There it spreads around the planet, blocking out the sunlight. At that great height, it will remain for years, darkening the sky and thereby drying and chilling the planet.
Nuclear Autumn / Winter, leading to Nuclear Famine “Nuclear Winter” and the global famine that would follow is a very serious consequence of nuclear war. In the event of an explosion of a number of nuclear weapons in short succession, so much dust and smoke from fires would enter the Earth's atmosphere that the sunlight would be temporarily obscured. The result is a temporary cooling – Nuclear Autumn. In the case of more massive explosions, Nuclear Winter would follow, which is expected to lead to temperature declines of 60–86° F in many of the world’s agricultural regions – including much of Eurasia and North America. Nuclear Winter would cause a “Nuclear Famine”. Global food production would fail and billions of people would starve.
Psychological effects Survivors of a nuclear explosion would suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). In addition, the infrastructure and social systems of affected countries would disintegrate.
“Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” Robert Oppenheimer, quoting from Hindu scripture as he witnessed the first detonation of a nuclear weapon on July 16, 1945.
We have already burdened our children with a nuclear heritage, all we can do now is to mitigate the consequences.
Let’s work together to eliminate the threat of our nuclear annihilation!
The existence of nuclear warheads is essentially meaningless. Their sole purpose is intimidation. In practice, they would mean the death of everything – including of the individual who presses the proverbial “red button” first.
What can YOU do to contribute to the elimination of nuclear weapons?
Educate yourself to convince others Make sure you fully understand the issues of nuclear energy. Read the news, stay up to date, research the historical background. Then others will accept you as a reliable source of information.
Use social media to spread awareness Use social media to your advantage. Create a group, invite your friends, educate your community about your peace efforts. If you are serious about eliminating nuclear weapons, you need to help others to believe in this outcome too.
Participate in non-violent protests Show others how strong your commitment is, inspire others to take action against nuclear weapons. Make placards, tell people about your concerns, engage them in communication.
Contact politicians to voice your concerns Express your opinion and share it with your political representative. Encourage friends to join you and send their own messages, demanding peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons.
Support disarmament efforts financially Support people and institutions who are working to eliminate nuclear weapons. Donate to campaigns, volunteer your time, or assist in another way. Spread the word to amplify your reach.
Choose carefully who you vote for Whether it is local or national politics, choose your representatives carefully. Vote for those politicians who strive for the elimination of nuclear weapons.
“Peace cannot be kept by force, it can only be achieved by understanding.” Albert Einstein.