How bad would a nuclear war actually be?
06/29/2023 •
A nuclear war would be devastating, potentially causing widespread destruction and loss of life. — Majority of viewpoints and comments express fear, concern and the potential for catastrophic consequences in the event of a nuclear war.
Stats
| 43% | 145 | Hacker News |
| 29% | 99 | |
| 18% | 61 | 4Chan |
| 6% | 20 | Mastodon |
| 4% | 12 |
| 83% | Negative |
| 14% | Neutral |
| 4% | Positive |
| 39% | 😡 Anger |
| 36% | 😱 Fear |
| 19% | 😢 Sadness |
| 6% | 😃 Joy |
| 0% | 🥰 Love |
| 0% | 😯 Surprise |
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Story
- The total number of nuclear weapons ever built is inadequate for ending life on Earth.
- Rocket defenses can be highly effective at shooting down incoming missiles, reducing the percentage of warheads reaching their targets.
- Effects of nuclear war wouldn't solely come from the nuclear weapons themselves but also from the widespread destruction caused by cities burning down.
- Electromagnetic pulses from nuclear explosions can damage electronics and power grids, causing economic consequences worldwide.
- Detonating all nuclear weapons on cities could lead to a global famine and economic contraction.
- The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) is seen as a comprehensive and effective legal tool to address nuclear threats.
- Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov warned that nuclear weapons would be used in a third world war with devastating consequences.
- The fear of nuclear power often stems from past accidents and incidents such as Chernobyl, Fukushima, Three Mile Island, the Demon Core incident, the Tokaimura Criticality Incident, and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
- Some argue that the fear surrounding nuclear power is overrated when compared to other forms of energy generation such as coal- and oil-fired power plants.
- A nuclear mistake can have devastating consequences quickly and for a very long time.