Nate Richards
November 6th, 2010, 06:25 AM
I grew up with the idea that mankind could, and eventually would, destroy itself. My grandparents were extras in a nuke-flick called "The Day After", and they even used our church as a prop. We were thoroughly sold on it in northeast Kansas.
I mean I actually lost sleep over this shit. I worried in bed at night, gritted my teeth. I thought "holy shit we're all gonna die so why does it matter" and so on. I thought there was gonna be a big camera-flash and I'd just be charred bones after that.
Anyhoo I was thinking of some more whiney shit but here's the point: MANKIND DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO DESTROY ITSELF.
I saw some graphics that made me feel much better, here in the last few years.
http://www.recipeapart.com/how-many-nukes-will-destroy-the-world/
Once got bored, walked into town and found the most interesting book in the world: "The Effects of Nuclear Weapons". 1977. Dark blue cover. Brand new. The plastic wrap was brittle. Lots of graphs and charts that I didn't understand but it had an awesome little circular calculator in a pocket in the back. It's been a while but I think it had three variables: nuke size, distance, and detonation altitude.
You line these up and you see how many will die in your area.
Most people don't get evaporated like in the movies. They die mainly from the "overpressure". Of course you could get burned away if you're right under the nuke, but if you're in the suburbs you get the pressure blast that ruptures your eyes, lungs, ears.
Anyway, most people have trouble understanding the dimensions. A 20 MT blast is not twice as destructive as a 10 MT event. Got to remember this is a 3D event. It's a ball, not a circle. 3D. Remember that.
Nukes aren't so bad. I wouldn't mind seeing a bunch of them burst and shine over China. Too many folks there.
This government of ours even has "neutron bombs" that will only burn flesh, not bridges and dams. That's pretty cool, you have to admit.
I mean I actually lost sleep over this shit. I worried in bed at night, gritted my teeth. I thought "holy shit we're all gonna die so why does it matter" and so on. I thought there was gonna be a big camera-flash and I'd just be charred bones after that.
Anyhoo I was thinking of some more whiney shit but here's the point: MANKIND DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO DESTROY ITSELF.
I saw some graphics that made me feel much better, here in the last few years.
http://www.recipeapart.com/how-many-nukes-will-destroy-the-world/
Once got bored, walked into town and found the most interesting book in the world: "The Effects of Nuclear Weapons". 1977. Dark blue cover. Brand new. The plastic wrap was brittle. Lots of graphs and charts that I didn't understand but it had an awesome little circular calculator in a pocket in the back. It's been a while but I think it had three variables: nuke size, distance, and detonation altitude.
You line these up and you see how many will die in your area.
Most people don't get evaporated like in the movies. They die mainly from the "overpressure". Of course you could get burned away if you're right under the nuke, but if you're in the suburbs you get the pressure blast that ruptures your eyes, lungs, ears.
Anyway, most people have trouble understanding the dimensions. A 20 MT blast is not twice as destructive as a 10 MT event. Got to remember this is a 3D event. It's a ball, not a circle. 3D. Remember that.
Nukes aren't so bad. I wouldn't mind seeing a bunch of them burst and shine over China. Too many folks there.
This government of ours even has "neutron bombs" that will only burn flesh, not bridges and dams. That's pretty cool, you have to admit.