Nuclear+War

=__ **Nuclear War: The End of Humanity as We Know It?** __=

The nuclear bomb has long been a symbol of the destruction of war.

Lately, many have theorized about the end of humanity as we know it. Some these people claim that a meteor will strike the earth; others believe that solar winds will ravage our home planet. But another very real threat to human civilization comes from humanity itself---the threat of nuclear warfare.


 * How a Nuclear Bomb Works **:

A nuclear bomb, (also known as an atom bomb, a fission bomb, or a thermonuclear bomb) has a hollowed out core which is made of either uranium and plutonium. To detonate a bomb,neurons are shot into the core, and explosives compresses the area around the neuron source. This causes a chain reaction. Before one can blink, fission bursts through the core, and the bomb explodes. The power of a nuclear bomb is equal thousands of tons of TNT.


 * Fear of Nuclear War **:

Nuclear weapons have the capability to decimate cities in seconds. During the Cold War, the fear of nuclear war was at an all time high. Families built fall-out shelters in their backyards, stocked with canned food, and children practiced ‘bomb drills’ in school, as shown below. And, for a few tense days, Americans held their breath as the United States teetered on the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban missile crisis.

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While the fear of nuclear war has waned since then, there is always a possibility that one day, it could occur. 'Ducking and covering' would not protect us from such a war.


 * Hiroshima and Nagasaki **:

The bombing of the Japanese cities Nagasaki and Hirsoshima is the world's only hint to the ruin that nuclear war could bring. It is estimated that when the atomic bomb, 'Little Boy' was dropped on Hiroshima, 40,000 people died instantaneously and up to 90 percent of the city was left as rubble and dust. Ailments and injuries related to the bomb continued to kill many in the weeks following the bombing, and total casualties are estimated to be up to 140,000 dead in Hiroshima. The bomb dropped on Nagasaki, 'Fat Man', was twice as powerful.

The bombing of Hirsohima and Nagaskai are our only hints to the ruin that full-scale nuclear war could bring.

**The Effects of Nuclear War** :

If a nuclear bomb were to hit a community, one would first see a pale light. The sound of the bomb would be delayed, but once audible, it would be deafening. The impact of the explosion would topple buildings, and many would be crushed inside the ruins. The windows would shatter, and debris and pollution would darken the sky.


 * Illness and Injury :

After the attack, suffering would continue for months, perhaps years. Survivors of the bombed community would be plagued with various ailments, such as anemia, severe burns, a low white blood cell count, loss of hair, a lack of the platelets that stop bleeding, and some cases of cancer. The worst threat to humanity that nuclear war presents, however, is nuclear winter.


 * Nuclear Winter :

Nuclear winter is a loose term for the meteorological consequences of a large-scale nuclear war. During a nuclear winter, the amount of precipitation would drastically change, and the weather would become much colder than usual. Due to both the massive amounts of radiation and the meteorological changes, food would not be able to grow. Death by starvation would be widespread. Also, to escape the lethal amounts of radiation, people would have to retreat to underground shelters until the massive amounts of radiation subsides.

**Doomsday and Nuclear War** :



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. The United States is estimated to have 10,000 operational nuclear warheads, and Russia is estimated to have approximately 13,000. Other countries that possess nuclear weapons include: China (100-200), France (350), the United Kingdom (less than 160). This countries alone have the power to destroy the world several times over. While we are aware that these governments do have nuclear weapons in their possession, other countries may secretly have them as well, which is very dangerous. Some of these countries are anti-American, such as communist North Korea and Iran.======

Currently, The United States is at war, and like any modern-day war, the greatest threat is the use of nuclear weapons. These wars are occurring in the middle east, a sacred region for three major religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. This echoes doomsday prophecies such as those predicted by religious texts and various prophecies that many claim lead to the date December 21st, 2012 AD.

If our president wanted to, he could give the order to drop a nuclear bomb, possibly plunging us into a war like none humanity has ever seen before.

Could this be the long predicted doomsday?



** Citations ** :

//Cheek, Dennis W. . (n.d.). Atomic Bomb. Encyclopedia of science and technology ethics.

Fallout. (1989)// //Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia. 'Van Nostrand Reinhold :New York City, NY.//

//Nuclear Winter. (1989).// //Van Nostrand's Scientifc Encyclopedia.// //Van Nostrand Reinhold :New York City, NY.//

//Making and using the atomic bomb. (2003). Greenhaven Press: Farmington Hills, MI.

Macauly, David. (1988).// //The way things work. Houghton Mifflin.//