This Is What Happens After A Nuclear War

The Threat of Nuclear War

• ⚠️ The risk of nuclear war is currently higher than ever, with the Doomsday Clock at 89 seconds to midnight.
• 🌎 Despite a reduction from Cold War levels, approximately 12,000 nuclear warheads remain, enough to devastate the planet.
• 🇺🇸🇷🇺 Most active warheads are held by Russia and the United States, followed by other nations like China, France, and the UK.

The Nuclear Winter Phenomenon

• 🔥 Nuclear attacks on cities would cause widespread firestorms, creating funnels of hot air that drag ash and soot high into the atmosphere.
• 💨 This ash and soot, particularly from synthetic materials, would distribute globally in the upper atmosphere, blocking sunlight.
• ❄️ Global temperatures could drop by 5 to 20°C for 5 to 10 years, similar to the effects of a super volcano eruption.

Devastating Global Impact

• 🌾 The primary consequence would be widespread crop failure due to reduced sunlight and temperature drops, leading to famine within a year.
• 📈 Newer studies indicate even more severe outcomes, including damage to the ozone layer and increased ultraviolet radiation.
• 💀 This could lead to an 80% reduction in crop yields for a large-scale global war, potentially killing more than 5 billion people through starvation.

Preparing for Existential Threats

• 💡 Researchers suggest preparing to switch to cold-sensitive crops like potatoes or kale to mitigate food shortages.
• 🌱 Seaweed is identified as the most resilient and rapidly scalable edible plant, capable of meeting demands within months if prepared.
• ✅ It is crucial to have a serious discussion and prepare for such existential threats, similar to how we prepare for asteroid impacts.