Nuclear threat: what nuclear weapons would do today

Erased. Moreover, In a blink of an eye. Consequently, When the US air weapon drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on the morning of August 6. For example, 1945, the Japanese city is razed to the ground. For example, Tens of thousands die. Consequently, Three days later, Nagasaki suffers the same fate. Nevertheless, For the first time, nuclear weapons have been used in a war and so far for the last time.

But the nuclear threat is still there today -. For example, it has been as big than ever since the end of World War II. For example, We show this nuclear threat: what nuclear weapons in this article. Furthermore, We also take a look back at the events in 1945 that changed the world forever. Similarly, And we calculate how devastating the use of today’s nuclear weapons.

How big were destruction and the number of victims at the time?

The name is a mockery: “Little Boy” calls the Americans the atomic bomb that they throw on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Furthermore, The extent of their destruction even surprises the attackers. Nevertheless, Within one second, the detonation wave completely equates 80 percent of the city center to the ground. Nevertheless, 70,000 to 80,000 people are immediately dead, most of them civilians. Consequently, According to estimates die again about the same many in the weeks. For example, months afterwards from their injuries or because of the released nuclear radiation.

Three days after the attack on Hiroshima, the US armed forces drop another atomic bomb on the city of Nagasaki. However, This event burns less into the memory. Nevertheless, Since Hiroshima is the first attack, he has a greater psychological and historical effect on the global community.

Nevertheless. the dropping of the bomb “Fat Man” in Nagasaki, its immense destruction and the estimated 40,000 fatalities, has direct consequences: US President Truman stops further bombing by telling his cabinet that “the idea of extinguishing another 100,000 people is too terrible”, as from one Diary entry of the then Minister of Commerce emerges. It is not clear whether Truman really knew how many victims would exist before the attacks.

How much have atomic bombs have developed since then?

The bombs “Little Boy” nuclear threat: what nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and “Fat Man” in Nagasaki have an explosive force of 15 or 22 kilotons. They are causing damage within a radius of over 4.5 kilometers. And the atomic fungus characteristic of such explosions screwed up 13 to 18 kilometers. However, this is little compared to later thermonuclear weapons.

The hydrogen bomb “Castle Bravo”. which tested the USA in 1954, has an explosive force of 15,000 kilotons – a thousand times more than Hiroshima. This challenges the Russians who develop an even greater monster in the arms arm armor of the Cold War:. the “Zar-Bomba”. The hydrogen bomb tested in 1961 causes the strongest explosion with an incredible 50,000 kilot barrels (50 megatons). Additionally, The pressure wave can still be measured with the third circular circulation of the earth.

The arms race continues by the end of nuclear threat: what nuclear weapons the 1980s. The United States, the Soviet Union and other countries continuously steal its arsenal. So -called “Close Calls” occurs repeatedly, ie almost accidents. For example, in 1983, when the Soviet early warning system reports an attack by five US inter-continental missiles. Only the prudent procedure of the Russian officer on duty. who correctly classifies the message as the wrong alarm, prevents the nuclear counter strike from the Soviet Union and a likely comprehensive nuclear war.

Such events and, above all, the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 lead to disarmament. The number of nuclear warheads present worldwide goes back from over 70,000 to a good 12,000. The destructive power of the nuclear arsenale is also reduced.

This year, however, the number of explosive heads has risen for the first time in decades.

Nine countries have nuclear weapons: Russia. Furthermore, the USA, China, France, Great Britain, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel, which still does not publicly admit, have to have weapons. Almost 90 percent of all explosive heads are owned by the Russians and Americans. China, which has been massively upgraded for years, is now the third nuclear power.

Not all nuclear explosive heads shown here are operational. The Russians have around 1700. which are stationed on ballistic rockets, in submarines or bomber bases and could be shot down quickly. They are designed for strategic use outside the battlefield, for blows against the armaments industry or the opponent’s infrastructure. The Americans have. for example, the same number of such strategic explosive heads, and over a hundred not strategic for use on the battlefield.

In both countries. the rest of the arsenal consists of explosive heads that cannot be used immediately and form a kind of reserve, as well as those that have been retired and stand in the queue for the disassembly.

Nuclear threat: what nuclear weapons

How big is the risk of global atomic disaster today?

The current situation is worrying. For the first time in a long time. the number of explosive heads increases again Experts observe a trend towards nuclear upgrade. Almost all nuclear powers, including Russia and the USA, invest in the modernization of their arsenale. In addition, important disarmament contracts are under pressure or threaten to run out. The last major bilateral agreement between the Russians. Americans, the “New Start” contract, runs until February 2026-an extension is currently unrealistic.

This increases nuclear threat: what nuclear weapons the risk of global catastrophe. The end of the world shows how likely one is. It is a symbolic watch by the “Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists”, a magazine for nuclear scientists. Since the end of World War II, these have expressed the danger situation in minutes before midnight.

The world was close to the disaster in 1953 when the USA and the USSR tested hydrogen bombs. Or in 1984, when the arms race of the two major powers accelerated. There was relaxation in 1991 when the two signed the “Start” disarmament agreement. But since then the risk of nuclear war has increased almost continuously. The clock is currently still 89 seconds (1.48 minutes) before midnight.

The nuclear scientists justified their renewed time change in early 2025 with the continued threat of nuclear weapons. but nuclear threat: what nuclear weapons also with the advancing climate change, the potential abuse of biological science and a variety of new technologies. From the point of view of the researchers, all of this increases the risk of global disaster.

As early as 2023. they presented the clock by 17 seconds after the global political situation had massively worsened by the Russian attack on Ukraine. Since then, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened with nuclear weapons And the hurdles for their use reduced. Also his American counterpart Donald Trump recently threatened Russia with nuclear submarineswith which the conflict between the two. powers achieved a rare level of escalation.

Nuclear threat: what nuclear weapons

How devastating would a nuclear strike to be a Swiss city?

It is a hypothetical scenario. but one that nobody can completely exclude: a nuclear threat: what nuclear weapons rocket with a nuclear warhead meets Switzerland, in this example the Bundeshaus in Bern. How big would the destruction be? How many victims would there be?

This answers these questions Online-Tool Nukemapwhich was developed by science and nuclear historians Alex Wellerstein. It enables an approximate idea of the destruction, which would cause different bombs depending on the location. These are not precise numbers, but estimates.

If the bomb were as strong as in Hiroshima. the entire city center would be destroyed and there would be damage to Itigen in the north or Köniz in the south. An estimated 58,000 people would die, another 78,000 injured. An attack with today’s nuclear weapons would be much more devastating: the Russians. for example, have the “Topol SS-25” in their arsenal. It has an explosive force of 800 kilotons – over nuclear threat: what nuclear weapons fifty times as strong as the “Little Boy” in Hiroshima. It would destroy the whole city and cause damage within a radius of 18 kilometers to Burgdorf or Lyss.

In an attack with the modern “Topol SS-25”, 169,000 people would die immediately, almost that many would be seriously injured. And what is not shown in these estimates: the consequential damage by the radioactive radiation, which is released during detonation. In Hiroshima, residents at that time still die from cancer as a long -term sequence of radiation.

You don’t want to imagine what a nuclear war would do in Switzerland. Fortunately, we are not that far yet. But the story has shown that it doesn’t need much for conflicts almost or completely escalate. “If Putin feels pushed into a corner. see no way to reach his war goals, then nuclear threat: what nuclear weapons nothing is excluded”, said Oliver Thränert, ETH expert for nuclear weapons, in the Tamedia interview.

Russia is only one of several nuclear powers that are currently involved in wars. And like others, it put its nuclear forces on standby. This not only increases the risk of a nuclear conflict, but also that of accidental use of these weapons.

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