The truth is no one really knows how many nuclear bombs it would take to destroy the world. Some say under a hundred and some say more. Or a very small number.
I think that the only way that you can actually answer this question is by determining a few key factors.
How Many Countries Have Nuclear Weapons?
Nuclear warfare is not a joking matter.
The first factor in determining how many nukes it takes to destroy the world we have to know how many countries have them. Well, it may be less than you think. I have found that nine countries are recognized as having nuclear arms: the United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France China, India, Pakistan, and Israel.
There are other countries that have or claim to have nuclear capabilities. The reality is that combined these countries have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world as we know it!
The Size Of The Nuclear Bomb
This plays a major factor in determining how many bombs it would take to wipe out humanity. To destroy the world. If you had one nuclear bomb, it would not be enough to destroy the world.
One nuclear bomb could easily wipe out a city and create absolute chaos. That being said, it’s not going to wipe out humanity.
When it comes to nuclear bombs they range in many different sizes. For example, if you look at the “Little Boy” bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima during the second world war. It killed so many people. This bomb is small in comparison to the nuclear weapons of today. That have far more power than the “Little Boy” did.
Not all nuclear weapons are alike
It’s important to note that nuclear weapon’s come in all shapes and sizes. So one could destroy a whole city or large area. Whereas another could cause far less destruction. The destruction would be great but not as great as other nuclear weapons can be.
There are small warheads and those that have the power of multiple if not hundred of atomic bombs in one. So keep that in mind.
You would need far fewer, nukes to destroy the world if they were more powerful and larger in size.
How Much Destruction Can A Single Nuke Cause?
It can destroy an entire city which we mentioned. But even more than that. There will be a high number when it comes to lives lost. That being said, there will be further effects by a single nuke.
The radiation that will follow will affect thousands for years to come. Then the contamination of water sources and wildlife destruction. It would take a long time for the city or area to “come back to life”. The explosion itself would cause immense destruction. The effects would be far-reaching for miles around the blast site.
How Many People Will Die From A Nuclear Blast?
If you find yourself in a city and a nuclear warhead is heading your going to die. Or chances are pretty high that you won’t make it out. Especially because you won’t be the only one trying to get out. So there will be traffic jams and everything will be even more congested.
There will be chaos on the streets. In a city, there will be millions who will probably die. In general, the number will be hard to predict but in highly populated areas it will take most people’s lives.
The size of the bomb and location will be key factors and how far away people are from it. If for example, Manhattan were to be hit, your chances are greater if you live in the Hamptons. The further away you are the greater your chances of survival!
A Nuclear Winter Is A Possible Consequence Of Nuclear War
Nuclear winter is a possible consequence of nuclear war. To understand the concept, we need to know what happens when a nuclear bomb explodes.
What occurs is that when the explosion occurs it sends an enormous amount of debris and dust. This can block out sunlight from reaching the surface of the Earth. This then causes temperatures to drop worldwide.
It will affect multiple elements of how the world as we know it operates. I know that it would affect the wind and ocean currents. The sun is essential for these two parts of nature that we take for granted.
So it’s very possible that a nuclear war could lead to a nuclear winter.
There Would Be An Eradication Of Humanity, But Not All LIfe
The chances of humanity being completely eradicated are probably high in the event of a nuclear war. I can’t say the same for other forms of life. For example, life could survive in the deepest parts of our oceans.
Not much would survive but there will be microscopic animals that will be able to survive. Humanity could survive if a nuclear winter incident occurred through underground bunkers.
They would need a natural source of power, that is not reliant on traditional forms of power and alternative power (solar, wind, hydro). One example of this type of power would be geothermal power.
The devastating effects of just a few hundred nuclear bombs.
The devastating effects of a hundred nuclear bombs going off around the globe would be catastrophic. The prospect of nuclear winter would be a real possibility.
I would also prepare for the collapse of human civilization. It would not survive. Then there would be the immense amounts of radiation that would plague the entire world. Nothing and nowhere would be not touched.
So the ability to hunt could be affected as animals could be poisoned. People will still eat animals and die from radiation poisoning.
Famine and Starvation
There would be large-scale famine as arable land will be affected. Once rich and fertile soil will not be able to be farmed. Greenhouses and underground/protected growing would grow as a result. I would have a way to produce food, without land such as with hydroponics/aquaponics. There could be areas that may not be affected as badly.
Those areas will become hotspots for conflict for countries to control.
Water scarcity would also play a role for years, all around the world.
Cancer Deaths Will Rise After A Nuclear War
After a nuclear war, the death rate as a whole will rise. There will be an increase in cancer-related deaths. I would attribute that to the environment and the radiation. I would say that radiation would increase cancer rates by at least 10-20%.
Children being born is already declining and after a nuclear war that will only increase. People will not want or avoid having children as a result of mutations that have occurred in their DNA.
The Nuclear Bombs Would Have To Be Strategically Placed!
If the world were to be destroyed, nuclear warfare would have to strike strategically all around the world. This would have to be on a large scale. A few warheads that destroy a few cities would not end the human species.
The effects, however, would be felt for decades, if not centuries to come.
Radioactive Clouds Could Form
Another works case scenario after a nuclear war would be the formation of radioactive clouds. This could occur even with a few nuclear weapons being detonated. As the winds if detonated at a high enough altitude. The winds would carry the radioactive particles and carry them all around the world.
So even if it occurred far away from you, you might still deal with the effects thousands of miles away.
How Many Nukes Would It Take To Destroy The World?
No, one really knows. It could be less than a hundred powerful nuclear bombs. Or it could be more than a hundred. It will all be determined based on how many nukes were detonated. The size of the nukes. The power of each of the nukes and where they were detonated. As well as the amount.
Let us hope that we never have to find out!
