How real is the threat of nuclear extinction?

Answer 1

Very real. Nuclear detonation, using TODAY's weaponry, casts larger threat zones than what was witnessed 60 years ago in Japan, by a magnitude of at LEAST 10.

Depending on weather patterns, one nuclear detonation of an average warhead in the US or Russian arsenal could affect up to 30% of the global surface within a week or so, and then the exodus begins and forever changes the demographics of the entire globe, almost irreversibly.

The true threat is the mass exodus from within the threat zone OUT, causing starvation, disease and war between those fleeing the fallout and those outside the fallout zone. Places like Africa, South America and Australia, large expanses of land rather far away from likely detonations sites, are ill-equipped to handle their own population in most cases, let alone a mass exodus of 100's of millions of people to these continents. Whoever isn't obliterated immediately or doesn't die the agonizing death of radiation, will face hostile resistance to their escape, and would likely die trying to race away from the expanding fallout zone.

Will it happen? I don't know. Could it happen, YES. So simple probability tells you it's 50%. That's too freakin' high. Nuclear detonation needs to be rendered impossible. But this is unlikely for the next century or two (until anti-nuclear defenses can be designed and deployed). Will someone get their hands on a nuclear device, and detonate it within the next 100 or 200 years? We all know that answer, don't we?

Answer 2

The threat is very real. There mere existance tells me that. How close was the world in the sixties. Within hours one would say.
Extinction? Probably not but the remaining humans would have a very difficult future , survival not guarenteed. It would all depend if it is an all out neuclear war of course. A single strike would not extinct the human race. All out could.
History is littered with deranged leaders, Khan, Hitler etc. If these guys had a neuclear weapon well ill live that up to your own mind. but perish the thought. Many gung ho countries are trying to develope such weapos to. I dread to think the possibity if they do achieve the feat.
Yes it is a real threat!

Answer 3

If they are crazy enough to do it, the detonation of just 30% of the US nuclear arsenal could destroy much of mankind. Russia China Great Britain, France India Israel and assorted others could do the same. The theory has always been that anytime a weapon is created it is used. The threat is very real. One scenario is if a terrorist N device were set off in a large American city killing hundreds of thousands of us then we would retaliate by taking out a major city like Tehran.

Answer 4

this entire element ought to quite initiate in united kingdom or France, the two are completely armed contributors of the nuclear membership. the subsequent u . s . a . to quite hire a nuke would be North Korea or Iran. they are development them for a objective. the assumption of a nuclear wintry climate replaced into stepped forward in the 60s and 70s, and scientifically debunked by way of quite (non-nuclear) experimentation in the 80s. after we communicate of "nuclear wintry climate" in cutting-part cases, we are only utilising that as a short hand to designate the aftermath of a nuclear replace and not chatting with any cataclysmic activities specifically, and surely to no longer the top of existence in the international. The airborne dirt and dust kicked up by way of an atomic explosion has a relative short risky radioactive existence. tiers may well be lower back to close to heritage international in approximately 2 weeks.

Answer 5

I don't tend to worry about it that much. You have to work on the theory that if you wipe put another country, another country is going to wipe you out - hence no one is going to be foolhardy enough to start an nuclear war because they know it will mean the end of the planet. We can hope, anyway.

Answer 6

As I recall the doomsday clock is at about five minutes to midnight. All it requires is some conflict to get out of hand and someone to push the wrong button. Reference the Cuban Missile crisis. It is best not to think about it.

Answer 7

Depends on which of you is going to be extinct.

Answer 8

very real, but there would be a nuclear holocost first.

Answer 9

I don't believe there are any guarantees ever. We may think we are safe and think we would never be this stupid, but we all know better, don't we!

Answer 10

I don't believe it will ever------(connection dropped due to high levels of radiation.)