What to Expect in a Nuclear Attack
In honour of these interesting times, I thought I’d write a reassuring piece today. The topic of nuclear war can be very abstract, bound up in the idea that it represents a kind of ‘end of the world’ scenario, with few left living to see the consequences. This neglects the question of what a person would actually experience in a direct nuclear attack, and also, perhaps, leads to fatalism. It is relegated to the realm of the unthinkable, and seen as a scenario that nobody would be able to live through. But what would it actually be like to experience a nuclear strike?
Nuclear weapons are not like other kinds of bombs. Thinking of them like extremely powerful explosives is a mistake.
In both their principle of action and their effect, they are something else entirely. Something new, in a league of their own. Their sheer terror was something that was realised early in the Atomic Age. The world was changed forever because of their shadow.
Waiting in stores and silos and submarines scattered across Eurasia, North America and the oceans of the world, in locales known and unknown, they have lain quiescent, never once used in anger since the Second World War. Though we may allow ourself to forget their presence in the course of everyday affairs, they are always there, quietly waiting in the background. In times of disorder their shadow makes itself known again, without anyone having to explicitly say so. It is felt in the air whenever the threat stirs.
They are the slumbering dragons of our world, and we are the mice living in their cave. Though we build our lives and have our little quarrels over their very sleeping backs, the squabbling nations of the world ultimately fear making too much noise. They fear waking the dragons.
In a way, this has helped keep the peace. Ever since the Second World War the promise of nuclear destruction has kept the most warlike instincts of even the most bullish and power-hungry leaders in check. Nukes are one of the key linchpins of the ‘Long Peace’. Without such weapons, who can doubt that we would still live in an era of general worldwide state-to-state warfare? These weapons have, for better or for worse, scared world leaders straight. At least so far. The nukes have remained in their long sleep.
But now the forces that might wake them are stirring.
But what would it actually be like if the unthinkable happened? What would a nuclear strike be like if you were nearby? What would you see/feel/hear? What is the best thing to do? How to maximise your chances of survival? Let’s have a look at what the worst day of your life so far might look like.
Suddenly the world goes very bright. Oh shit. A nuclear weapon has just detonated nearby. If you’re far enough away from the blast that you weren’t killed instantly, the first thing you will notice is the brightness. Especially for a thermonuclear-type strategic nuclear weapon, much of the energy of the bomb is released in the initial flash. A nuclear flash is bright, bright, bright like the sun. Don’t look at the light. Resist the urge to look. Human eyeballs did not evolve to take in such unnatural rays, and looking directly at the detonation could blind you, temporarily or permanently.
Along with the flash will come a thermal pulse. Depending on how far you are from the explosion, this may or may not have the potential to set flammable and organic materials, including you, on fire. It is better to be behind cover, or indoors, to avoid this, as direct line of sight on a clear day can cause horrifying flash burns even tens of miles away from a thermonuclear detonation.
If you survive the initial flash and thermal pulse, and haven’t been burnt or blinded, then it’s time to brace for the next challenge: the shockwave. If you haven’t gotten to cover yet, now is the time to do so. If you were far enough to survive the initial detonation and not be severely burnt by the thermal pulse, then you likely have at least 30–45 seconds before it reaches you. If you’re lucky, you’ll have longer. Use this time well.
Taking care not to look at or even face directly the direction of the detonation, look for anything that might lend cover. Small archways are a good choice, as are storm drains. If there is anyone else nearby, be sure to yell to them not to look at the flash or, if they have, to follow your voice to cover. Crouch/lie down while under cover, shielding your head to protect from falling debris. Be careful not to block your ears or hold your breath; doing so could give you internal ruptures as the shockwave passes. Make sure that your chosen place of refuge is not near any glass windows or anything that might shatter dangerously. Wait for the shockwave to pass. You can expect an initial pulse of overpressure, followed by strong winds, like a storm, for seconds to minutes afterwards. Stay in cover for this time, until the turbulence subsides.
What happens next depends on a few things, but the most important is the type of nuclear detonation you just lived through. Was it an airburst or a groundburst?
If it was an airburst, and if you were far enough away from the detonation to survive the thermal pulse and the overpressure, then the immediate risk from radiation is probably not so severe. Stay in cover until the effects of the detonation have entirely subsided, then get to a safer place of refuge if you haven’t done so already. Although you will have been exposed to more radiation than usual, it’s unlikely to be a major problem, at least in the short term. Beware of fires started by the detonation, especially gas fires from ruptured pipes, and take care to avoid falling debris.
It’s a different story with a groundburst. In this scenario, the radiation and radioactive particles from the detonation combine with whatever is on the ground around the blast site. This matter, combusted, vapourised and irradiated, becomes highly radioactive itself and is drawn up into the plume of the mushroom cloud and spread by the wind. This is radioactive fallout. If you are anywhere near a groundburst strike, you had better pray that you were upwind at the time, because you are in extreme danger otherwise. In that case, unless you are in a place of shelter with adequate shielding from the outside, as well as with a means of stemming the ingress of ash and rain, with supplies of non-perishable food, drinking water, and medicines to last for several weeks at minimum, you are in trouble. In just about any nuclear strike on a population centre, you can expect the emergency services of the nation to be overwhelmed. You have to assume that help will not come for a long time.
In the days and weeks that follow, remaining in shelter will be very important.
It’s better to be prepared before time, especially being stocked up with food and drinking water. The biggest danger from fallout, if you are not in the immediate vicinity of a groundburst strike, is the possibility of radioactive rain in the days and weeks afterwards. In this case, especially if downwind of an explosion, radioactive particles can insinuate themselves into the water table, and even linger in isolated pockets and pools for long after the detonation. This is best avoided by being well-upwind of any potential nuclear target, having a well-shielded place to shelter, and not having to rely on external water and food supplies. Also, iodine pills, if you have them, are a good option. Maybe even investing in a portable geiger counter might be a good idea so you can assess the safety of the environment. Don’t forget to stock up on batteries as well!
Hopefully it doesn’t come to all that, but I hope to demystify some of the possibilities around nuclear warfare. As you can see, that hardly makes it any less terrifying; the reality of what a nuclear strike would entail is simply horrendous. That said, it is also survivable, with some preparation and a lot of luck. Humanity itself would survive a nuclear war, I am sure of it.
But our world would be changed forever. A new and horrifying reality beckons. The sleeping dragons of the world’s nuclear arsenals lie sleeping for now, let’s hope that folly and evil do not raise them and wake the worst demons of all. There is a door here that humanity can choose to open, or to walk away from. All hinges on the hope that the leaders of the world make the right choice.
