Is it true that nuclear weapons will destroy the world...?

Question

....but only if they are used PROPERLY?

Answer 1

Irony is so rare these days.
perfect!
The "properly" used nukes could destroy the world, but humans are imperfect,
so the nukes will only be used "improperly",
and usher in a new golden age of plenty

Answer 2

Your question raises two points. First of all will nuclear weapons ever be used in war. The answer to this point is probably not. The policy of mutually assured destruction prevents most states from actually contemplating their use. While there may be nuclear terrorist attacks there will be no large scale use of nuclear weapons. The second point raised is even if nuclear weapons were to be used in the most efficient way possible could they be used to destroy the entire world. The answer for this is defiantly no. There is simply too much area and the number of weapons required to cover the entire world is several orders of magnitude greater than all the nuclear weapons in all the stockpiles of all the world at the height of the cold war.

Answer 3

Not neccesarily destroy the world as in the whole world is crumbled. People are thinking that nuclier weapons are that powerfull. 1 or 2 can destroy a large city. Hundreds of thousands
will damage the ozone layer and spread cancer everywhere.
The earth would look like Venus from space f there were a nuclier holocaust.

Answer 4

It's not TRUE, but it's possible. There are enough nuclear weapons to conceivably end all but microbial and some insect life on the surface of the planet and even alter the climate for a long time. Keep in mind that this is all THEORY, hypothesis based on established scientific knowledge. My crystal ball needs new batteries, so I can't answer past that.

Answer 5

No - Man will most likely destroy his World - Nuclear Weapons, like most politicians, are nothing more than a tools created by man.

Answer 6

Doug B - will you please stop putting crazy ideas into crazy minds
like George W. Bush! He may read your question and get excited
and order Condi Rice to go ahead with the job. Remember, there
are plenty of "Bush Clones" around who would be happy to please
you. Frankly, I think you have been watching too many Bond 007
(note, that is not an aircraft) oldies and the idea has driven you
mad. I would like to know your age, knowledge and ability to go
ahead with the PROPER plans. Get yourself a nice girlfriend and
go out and have good healthy fun and do not take any bombs with
you.

Answer 7

No. Even if we were to manufacture every nuclear weapon possible, they could not destroy the Earth. ie., break it apart, physically demolish it. You could easily wipe out all life on the planet and render it an irradiated wasteland incapable of sustaining life for many centuries, however.

Answer 8

That depends on what you mean. They are certainly very powerful and have the potential to kill most life, including us. It is doubtfull that everyone would die though, although it is possible. However the plannet would still be there and it would recover.

Incidentally some creatures are not affected by radiation, such as cockroaches, so those not caught in the blast would survive and in the absence of competition would thrive.

Answer 9

Be an astronaut and live up in a space station and get a good view of the world exploding. I'm sure it'd be the best 10 minute 4th of July you've ever seen..even though it'd probably not be on the 4th :D

Answer 10

Perfectly posed question. Of course weapons do not destroy people of their own volition, only man can arrange that. Far better to have an endless chain of clean wars, affecting `other people`, than to allow others to pull the masterstroke.