What Happens Minutes After a Nuclear Launch? (Annie Jacobsen)

The Michael Shermer Show # 424
Pulitzer Prize finalist Annie Jacobsen investigated this ticking-clock scenario, based on dozens of exclusive new interviews with military and civilian experts who have built the weapons, been privy to the response plans, and are responsible for those decisions should they need to be made.
Shermer and Jacobsen discuss: surviving a nuclear explosion • what happens in a nuclear bomb explosion • consequences of a nuclear exchange • Getting to Nuclear Zero • North Korea, China/Taiwan • increasing budgets for more weapons • types and quantities of nuclear weapons • why humans engage in aggression, violence, and war
Annie Jacobsen is an investigative journalist, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and New York Times bestselling author. Her new book is Nuclear War: A Scenario. Her other books include: Area 51, Operation Paperclip, and The Pentagon’s Brain.
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[@user-fx7wu2bf7k]

My background...... Years in the military. Worked at the Radford Arsenal as my first job, then later worked at Pantex in Texas. My grandfather was a fighter pilot, a prisoner of war after a mission in the Balkans, escaped, and eventually worked for the White House and Stratcom. He worked with and helped design option plans for the United States should they need to attack the Soviets (A.K.A. Russia). My long conversations with him were scary and I've lost many nights of sleep because of it. I remember him telling me that we had groups in Russia that watched Russian leaders families at all times. They apparently would be sent to various locations if the Russians were intending on attacking. The U.S. even has various strike groups located in Russia to take out command and control, to work towards destroying some missiles before they are launched, and even take out defense leaders and those in the chain of command. There is so much they do not tell you and we apparently have been close to nuclear war many times. You were incorrect about a few things in your book, but either way you are certainly educated on nuclear weapons, and it was quite interesting. In the late 70's and early 80's there were about 5 times as many nuclear weapons on alert and ready to be launched at all times. There used to be about 10,000 nuclear weapons that were ready to be fired at the West from the Soviets. So, today when I see that Russia has about 1,700 ready to fire at the U.S. I guess we should be comforted? :) I would like to ask a question. Has the horror of a nuclear war scenario or the fact that it could happen changed your life and the way you behave? For instance, I live in a smaller town and refuse to live in a large city or near a military base. I have indeed viewed copies of some of the target scenarios used by our military. (The real ones, not the make-believe ones or hypothetical ones on the internet). The ones on the internet are fairly close though. They do take into account high population density, military bases, logistics, and ability to rebuild. In the 70's and 80's there were many anti-nuclear groups and they really did make a difference. The younger generation seems more interested in social media, tik-tok, and keeping their focus of attention on cellphones as opposed to making the world a safer place. People will protest social issues, but not nuclear weapons. Many of the same people that were involved in the Cold War have recently repeated their behaviors and are bringing the world to the brink once again. You can see online pics of when KGB Putin of Russia was younger and is standing right next to Reagan. People like Putin and other dictators use nuclear weapons like a terrorist would, because realistically it's one of the only weapons that could destroy the United States other than hate and stupidity. I am hoping that your book will go beyond simply scaring people and will start to wake-up and educate those that have hidden their heads in the sand for far too long. Thanks for making people aware.

[@tarstarkusz]

Thing about ww2 and the firebombing of Tokyo. Now move that forward 20 -40 years (1965-1995) and imagine they simply didn't work and there was no Nagasaki and Hiroshima. What are the odds ww3 would have been prevented? I think it is a near certainty that a conventional war would have happened, only instead of 1940s technology, it would be better technology. Tokyo was every bit as destroyed as Hiroshima. Dresden was just as destroyed as Nagasaki. The allies dropped over 3 million tons of HE on Germany in roughly 3 years, with most of it being in the final year. It was round the clock by summer of 1944. All of that was prevented from re-occuring.

[@Tomas.X]

You are so right, in so many ways. And the prospect of of the war in Ukraine leading to worldwide nuclear destruction is being used by Russia & their sycophants to package fear in a small box and deliver it to people pre-occupied with all the useless BS in their lives. There is a new development in the nuclear weapons debate since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the hyped Chinese threat of invading Taiwan. This is from an ISW report in December 2023 about "The High Price of Losing Ukraine": "The risk of nuclear war is inherent in any attempt to resist the aggression of any nuclear-armed state. It will be manifest if Russia attacks Ukraine again or if it threatens or attacks NATO. It will be present if China attacks Taiwan. An American policy that refuses to accept any risk of nuclear use anywhere is a policy of permanent and limitless surrender to nuclear-armed predators. Such a policy will encourage their predation and it will also encourage other predators such as Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.” Point being, we are now for the first time since nuclear weapons were developed and deployed in sufficient numbers to destroy the plant, where our foes are acutely testing us. Like predators searching for weak spots. As we give them the indication we're far to afraid to ever use them, they grown that much more bold to threaten using them. Thus the door is being pushed open to a reality in which Russia and China finally become the extreme aggressors we have feared they'd become for 70+ years. I don't believe this is pushing us closer to nuclear war, though. I'm 55, and was a huge nerd from the time I was very young about the post WW2 world we lived in. And all my life I've believed - and still do - that if war broke out and Russia or China used a nuclear weapon, or two, or three, we would need to restrain our rage and continuously tell them we do not intend on using them. Remind them they are rendering themselves the guilty party they always claimed we would be, and history will record this. After all, those two countries still use Hiroshima and Nagasaki to claim "You've used them - we haven't." Well, if the Red Army had the A-bomb as they rolled west towards Berlin, they would have used it. Absolutely. 100%.

[@ugowar]

@@tarstarkusz My (perhaps) controversial opinion about the alternative history, where nuclear weapons weren't developed by the end of WWII. The nuclear weapon would inevitably have been invented anyway in, at most, 20 years after WWII, by both the U.S. and the Soviets and probably other parties. You just can't stop physics. In a world where Hiroshima and Nagasaki hadn't have happened, but instead, all there ever was were "sterile" nuclear tests in some test ranges, there would have been no taboo about its destructive power and horror ingrained into human consciousness. We could have ended up in a situation where nations had hundreds of warheads stockpiled, yet never used in anger, and so the threshold of using them in a future conflict would have been lower. But, unlike, WWII, it would not have been 2 bombs by that point, but hundreds of warheads simultaneously unleashed on the world, before each party realized the true horror of the weapon. So, back to our universe, in a bizarre twist of fate, the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki might have been the "best" out of all the possible bad outcomes our civilization might have experienced, showing us the true horror of the weapon and instilling fear in everyone's mind about the destructive power of it *before* everyone and their neighbor's kid got one. To steal a quote from the "Oppenheimer" movie: "They won't fear it until they understand it, and they won't understand it until they've used it." I have to say I agree with that sentiment.

[@tarstarkusz]

@@ugowar There may very well be truth to what you are thinking about here. But what I am saying is I think the fear of these weapons prevented even a conventional war, which would have been bad enough on its own, between the Soviet Union and NATO. More people died in Tokyo than either Nagasaki or Hiroshima. I read that the Americans built a replica of downtown Berlin in the US desert because they were unable to get a firestorm started in the real Berlin. They used it to try and determine how to get the firestorm started, but that it was determined the streets were too wide. I just don't see how you can deter people who think like this with anything short of MAD.

[@elzoog]

Haven't you guys ever watched Indiana Jones? Obviously the way to survive a nuclear bomb is to hide in the refrigerator.

[@sajjbrown2357]

I really admire her as an author

[@meathooksmcgee662]

That's good she has that going for her because she seems insufferable as a person

[@DisEnchantedPersons]

You don't even want to talk about nukes. In a full nuclear exchange, you die fast or you die slow. I don't want to watch my skin fall off or yours. " The survivors will envy the dead" USAF

[@agh0x01]

The film Threads is another good film showing the effects of a limited nuclear war without pulling any punches.

[@howardjones6432]

Threads man... You mentioning that brought back that ending scene.. no one wins a nuclear war..🤦🏽‍♂️

[@ugowar]

There was nothing "limited" in terms of nuclear war depicted in Threads. It depicts a full-blown, full-out nuclear exchange between the east and the west, just focussing on the U.K. being caught in the middle.

[@JFF35753]

The Day After is better than Threads. Check it out.

[@jasonhand1742]

@@JFF35753 No chance. Threads is way better than The Day After.

[@user-bi4sr2rw7b]

I love Annie Jacobsen, she has done so much more than she may ever know, thank you!

[@-handala-]

As this video shows there is no preparing for nuclear war. You defo want to go first. Also her calming voice is so alarming considering the context.

[@howtester5586]

Her voice makes me randy

[@-handala-]

@@howtester5586 right?! 😂

[@agh0x01]

Re the ICBM interceptors, there's also the fact of Multiple Independently targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs). Each missile launched may contain up to 15 warheads, including or in addition to decoys, designed to soak up interceptors. Therefore, if a missile's MIRVs are released before interception, that single missile's payload could soak up 1/3 or so of the total number of interceptors in the USA's arsenal.

[@Chirality452]

This is why the US has not built a defense system against Russia or China. Why has been built is designed against North Korea.

[@suesspot5930]

Annie leaves out the fact that the u s keeps strategic position of our nuclear submarines. In the documents released by the whistle blower in the pentagon, 2 summers ago or whenever it was, it was revealed that the U.S keeps multiple nuclear capable submarines in the south China sea At all times. If north korea or china were to launch missiles the leaders of those countries would not likely be alive to view the outcome. Their missiles would definitely hit the u.S if they wanted them to Do to lack of interceptor technology. But they would have already been hit With a nuclear capable submarine launched response from the south china sea. It was also revealed that the u.S has had nuclear weapons mounted on airplanes that have been airborne strategically since the middle of trump's presidency. As I write this comment there are a few separate airplanes flying around that are already loaded with nuclear weapons ready to press the button and open the doors.

[@watchaddicts1213]

Being a person of small intellectual capacity, I have always found it curious: countries tested Atomic, Hydrogen, ThermoFattyAwful bombs…for years and years and, I guess, a few fish die? Yet, in a nuclear war, we have nuclear winter next week. What horrible damage to Earth and Man did all the test bombs cause ?

[@daviddickey9832]

They have so many munitions that there are no decoys

[@basem-mohamad]

Here for Annie Jacobsen’s voice 😁

[@robertcation5532]

I just love her voice!

[@chriswarren-smith62]

Smooth.. quite similar to Marianne Williamson

[@peterbustin2683]

"Softly softly circumcision.."

[@voidFutureVector]

Ive listed to about 12 hours of her interviews and im back for more! Did you know she reads the audio book!

[@ugowar]

What is it with you people that the main takeaway of her interviews you get is her voice? We truly are doomed as a civilization.

[@cablrus1885]

I'm a vet from cold war 80s era trained in NBC. NUCLEAR BIO AND CHEMICAL this is good info i didnt know about. Great video

[@adamdavies6248]

Really good summery, and an important topic for people to grasp, MAD is madness. Thank you 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@everready800]

Except 44:55 BS

[@yawzerdoink-a-sore-as8159]

The President needs six minutes to get out of bed, first 😂

[@mpetry912]

this was an exceptionally good one !

[@anynimus1617]

Read the Book 'One Second After' by William R. Forstchen. I think about it all the time, and I read it about ten years ago. The novel follows along a retired military man and his family after what happens to be a nuclear detonation very high up in the atmosphere. nothing is damaged on ground level but just about everything electronic is no longer functioning. It is a terrifying book and i think EVERYONE should read it. The other book is 'NEVER' by Ken Follett and and it follows along several story arcs which eventually culminates in nukes being slung by China, US and North Korea. Reading these books will definitely, as the young people say, change your brain chemistry.

[@daimon9]

I bought her audiobook on Amazon. I look forward to listening to it this week!

[@ChefScottSUP]

I appreciate Michael for bringing Annie Jacobsen to share her insights.

[@DailyTuna]

Because if you get rid of lunch on warning, then the enemy will be able to destroy you. It’s a forced move. After the barrage hits there won’t be a counterstrike if you don’t have this policy you lose. I don’t get why these people don’t understand this it’s common sense

[@tarstarkusz]

Duck and cover is not entirely BS. It depends on how far away you are. If you are in the blast zone, duck and cover is irrelevant. There will be no time between the flash and the effects. But outside of the blast zone at the point where most structures survive, being on the floor under something will protect you from at least some harm. It could be the difference between glass in your face or not or something falling on you or not. Even fairly "minor" injuries will be extremely life threatening. There will be no functional healthcare system. So the kids seeing a flash not running to the windows to see what happened prevent 1000 kids in that school from having their faces full of glass and their eyes with huge shards of glass in them.

[@thelasthourgetready]

With these modern nuclear weapons I don't think it will help.

[@tarstarkusz]

@@thelasthourgetready AFAIK, most of them are smaller today. I think the largest of them in a state of readiness today are in the 300 kt range. At the right distance, it could be helpful. But really, mass panic among survivors will be a problem should an exchange ever happen.

[@ugowar]

It is *entirely* BS, but not in the sense you speak of. Yes, it might save you from the *immediate* impact of warhead(s) exploding over your city of choice (I'll even grant you the chance that you won't get a giant firestorm that will subsequently burn you alive, as had happened in Tokyo and Hiroshima), but the aftermath will be much, much worse. An all-out nuclear exchange will destroy everything, the electrical system, communications, global food and fuel supply chains. How big of a stock of tin cans did you have? Yeah, not good enough. After that, the onset of nuclear winter, when even rural areas (which were not directly hit because they are not high priority targets) where crop farming happens will be affected, causing global famine in the months and years to follow even if you *could* deliver the little food available across the world, which you won't be able to. You'd be better off dying immediately when the warhead exploded than trying to survive in the aftermath of a world decimated and brought back to the stone age. "Duck and cover" is just a cute story they told people to give them some sense of hope when, in reality, there was none. "Save yourself so that you can die in agony from famine or radiation sickness later!" would have been a better slogan, but it doesn't quite have the same ring to it, eh? That's why nowadays nobody talks about it anymore.

[@thelasthourgetready]

@@tarstarkusz I don't think you have studied the russian missiles especially the sarmat/satan 2. They have the capability to wipe out an entire nation literally. The speed they fly at is unbelievable. In a nuclear war roughly one third of the global population would go instantly then millions more due to the fall out

[@floydlawsen]

​​​​​@@thelasthourgetreadyfalse. It has nothing to do with how "modern" a weapon is. If you are miles away on the fringes you are at risk from many of the effects, and ducking and covering does make a difference. It doesn't help with fallout and fires, but it obviously could help some people survive the blast. There are actually people who do not live downtown in cities. These people do not get magically and instantly deleted.

[@desert_sky_guy]

Full five stars. 100% brilliant take and storytelling that I believe everyone should read (everyone, on earth). Only critique: Nuclear weapons were inevitable, they are not our enemy. We are our enemy. Always have been, always will be. As "modern" and "civliized" as we may seem, the collective 8 billion of us continue to be divided and dominated by varied, at-odds tribal and irrational belief structures with more than 200 separate, independent nations all committed to protecting themselves over every other nation. Even the United States of America, for all its perceived glory, currently can't wipe its ass at the federal level because someone on another team will reject truth and reason to make sure that the shitshow continues and their power and wealth are not put at risk.

[@user-tf3ir8sc5m]

I don't know if the "Hitler was killed in '38" would've necessarily changed anything. The atom was split in Germany independent of the Nazis.Physicists immediately realized that meant the possibility of a run away fission reaction. Atomic weapons development was in the scientific zeitgeist of the time. During the Manhattan project, when they were determining which weapon design they should target, Edward Teller had already worked out the mathmatics for thermonuclear weapons and wanted to skip fission weapons entirely and go straight to "hydrogen" weapons. They chose to develop fission weapons because they would be far easier and faster to develop.

[@jasonhand1742]

I would recommend (not sure if thats the right term tbh) to watch a British docufilm called Threads. Its easily the best (again not sure if that word is right) film about Nuclear War. It shows the full terror of a nuclear war and how the population would be simply left to deal with it. Its based in an industrial city in England (Sheffield).

[@Lostinthesand]

Good show. Annie is recapping information which has been available but must be brought forward again in a new package. I studied a lot of other declassified sources which print the same thing as Annie has put into a better reading less dry, book.

[@benlamprecht6414]

Thanks for an excellent interview

[@lynneholdaway5133]

Good discussion, wary of those leading today in consideration of this topic.

[@deanedgx]

Great chat Andrew and Tom.

[@alisterhoult4795]

Good Afternoon Everyone, This is a very interesting and insightful KZbin video, Thank you for the video Mr. Shermer and Ms. Jacobsen, Alister Ian Hoult, Carrying Place, Ontario, Canada.

[@skepticmagazine]

Our pleasure!

[@robertkeyes3263]

A great book. Bought the Audible version and the hardback book. Listened to and read it from cover to cover.

[@DailyTuna]

So Dr. Strangelove, the movie was spot on about the mentality of these people.

[@antispindr8613]

But are not the Latter-day Dr Strangeloves, and their love of The Bomb, still to be found within NATO?

[@DailyTuna]

@@antispindr8613 there’s a really matter when these things start flying?

[@mrp9165]

The best film to watch on this is 'Threads'.

[@desert_sky_guy]

You: Makes video with Annie Jacobsen on her book. Me: Doesn't even finish the video yet, goes to Barnes and Noble and comes back with the next 4-5 hours of my Saturday tied up, lol

[@blaqbastion1501]

Was it worth a read

[@everready800]

Didn't you know nuclear war being global annihilation?

[@SalSanchez-dy6cn]

4 to 5 hours? See why we can't get along

[@EathHeart]

In the UK in middle school we did drills of hiding under our wooden desks and even then I thought it pointless. I was a USAF military brat and my husband is a veteran. I wish nuclear weapons had never been created as nobody wins if used. Only death and destruction. I am in a close enough proximity to DC to be at least in the outer danger zone or completely destroyed if the base I live next to is hit. The US government should absolutely prepare the public on what their options are and get us ready. We want to know what to do if we survive also. I am understanding we would be entirely alone and would have to survive as long as we can. I wish there was a part of the government dedicated to that. I hate the not talking about it. It isn't helpful. Not everyone has a bunker, an arsenal of weapons and gallons of water in standby or a years supply of food. It would be chaos. We need to avoid the chaos that would follow by being as prepared as possible.

[@johnmitchell8925]

I bet this woman has an after hrs phone service for her side hustle 😮

[@sifridbassoon]

huh?

[@_N3M3S1S]

Another comforting thought for the day: Every single modern weapon that man has ever created has eventually and historically been utilized against their respective enemies. Sleep well now.

[@pedsermd]

Absolutely fascinating information! She's like one of those interviewee characters on NPR from an SNL skit.

[@rogeco60]

What did the detonations of mega-ton thermal nuclear weapons do to the ozone layer, how much nuclear contamination exists today in our upper atmosphere and how might the nuclear contamination in our atmosphere be affecting climate change? There are so many unknowns and speculations, it's just jaw dropping.

[@geoff_tac]

Every fictional story has a level of truth. Excellent creative writing of fiction.

[@mikerubin22]

audiobook is just frightening, compelling book.

[@Chirality452]

It is designed to frighten as much as educate.

[@ScottJackisch]

Yes

[@kban77]

Or would the country under attack just let it happen and think it better to keep some people alive than everyone dead? Kind of how i might respond if someone randomly punched me in the head. I might just walk away and not take revenge

[@davidwright8432]

This is why you will never be chosen for command.

[@kban77]

Lol

[@killman369547]

Pfff no. That'd never happen. There's a higher chance of the sun exploding tomorrow than there is of a country just eating a nuclear attack and not responding.

[@elitetrader5468]

Wow, you would allow yourself to be punched in the head? You are beyond weak.

[@johnbuckner2828]

Her voice makes nukes sound therapeutic. I might actually feel safe if she told me to duck and cover.

[@flyingcat7975]

Lol. 😂😂😂

[@johnlaccohee-joslin4477]

I had to put this comment in as it is so pertinent to the subject. Most missiles these days are most certainly rockets that you can identify as to their load. But the bit i found missing during the whole thing was that today, most of these missiles are multi head missiles, that is to say the carry more than one bomb ( these are refered to as mervs or simple multi warhead missiles, where on re entry each warhead has a different target) This can i understand be anything up to eleven warheads. They re-enter as such speed they actually glow, and aslo are because of the slear re enter speed more than hard to track. These days there are even mervs that can in fact change their tragectory during this period of time and can avoid being taken out. A fact missed by most is that even being able to hit one of tbese does not stop the end result, it may just hasten the end result but does not change it. Taking about this subject as if we had ways of avoiding the outcome is both dishonest and very missleading. Again it has to be taken into account that each one has possibly different instructions as to its point of detination i.e. upper burst mid burst and ground burst, each one having a totally diferent effect here on the ground and very much so i terms of damage. I feel that going into detail about this subject, and it can be heard in this conversation, That the end result is in anyway safer than another, that is the most dangerous take of the whole thing. The biggest thing anyone can involve themselves in is the total destruction of ALL these weapons. As a race, we have clearly involved ourselves in creating the biggest bang for a buck, a point of view which should be taken out and hung as being the act of a total lunatic , or more importantly an act of deseration, a subject the U.S. really does show as being in need of some very deep education. By this i mean if you take the saying " Do unto others as you would have done to ones self" The biggest and most important thing we should ALL be part of is getting rid of these weapons totally. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPON the end result of any of these weapons is the same when looked at from the point of view of our planet, its end result leaves devastation for a period of time than none of mankind can change or overcome for far to many years to ever be considered safe. The only thing i think anyone with a sence of responsability is as follows. MANKIND WAKE UP, STOP BEING DELUSIONAL AND STOP LYING TO OTHERS AND OURSELVES, ANDVSTART TREATING EVERYONE WITH DOWN TO EARTH COMMON DECENCY If there was any reason at all for someone else paying attention to what humans do here on earth it has to be this very subject, because like it or not, there is only one who can say without fear of contradiction that they could in any way resue anyone during the stupidity of using these and that is our maker regardless of the name we use in describing them, and start think along the lines we humans take, why bother rescuing the idiot who let them loose in the first place if that all they can do well, again wake up world and make it possible to wake up each and every day to smellthe coffee, the clean air and the flowers, what we have been given is something so perfect, stop messingnit up!!!!!!

[@alienjournalism]

Take a drink for every time Annie says “…right?”

[@mayflowerlash11]

At 37:00 she says boost phase twice. I think she means ballistic phase. I don't think the technology exists to intercept in the boost phase which she says is 5 minutes.

[@STR82DVD]

Podcasts like this are why I bought ferret cages, shortwave radios (2) and a shovel.

[@tedmac8049]

The world goes up in flames, with Annie’s dulcet tone narration.😂

[@John-sz1ny]

You never did answer the question? Do you think the government knew that a bunch of children crawling underneath of a school room desk wasn't gonna do anyone any good? And as cutting edge technology as nuclear war maybe. It should have never been invented. In the end, what possible good could have it ever have achieved?

[@johnfish1194]

What happens? The politicians hide in the bunkers while we all die.

[@amccaulx]

Anyone think Biden can react And make the right decision in the 6 min window?

[@desert_sky_guy]

A little more than haflway done. Absolutely BRILLIANT. The idea, the chronological structure, the sourcing, execution, storytelling. Do not miss this book, but beware that it is among the most horrifying and terrifying tales you will ever read in your entire life. Reality is far, far stranger than fiction, friends.

[@Richard-zg9kp]

All you need is EMP'S, take out the electricity, no generators, people will loose there minds, and the powers stations would go into melt down. Back to tribal gangs, no heating, all electronics gone, ect. Preferable than actual deverstion.

[@tomlavelle8340]

How does one get ready for nuclear war? I don’t have NORAD in my backyard.

[@shandusa]

Our newest defense system are many interceptors using small nuclear warheads for them to detonate high in the atmosphere and this way destroying incoming ballistic misiles.

[@killman369547]

So..... Nike Sprint? They had that in the 60's. But the program had to be cancelled because the public wasn't a fan of the idea of nukes detonating above their heads, even if it were defensive.

[@human_shaped]

This was a really great interview, by both.

[@User-pacam1984]

There's no preparation to the 6 minutes warning,even how has bunkers won't have the time to get in the place where the sun will be gone forever.Each ICBM is not just one bomb but many warheads built within

[@pauliosantos6379]

They really need to cast her as an older Sarah Connor if they make any more Terminator films.... I can only imagine how she sounds when she is agitated/angry about something

[@charles2675]

Sounds like people just can't wait

[@electric544]

And just so everyone knows… The area surrounding #Chernobyl has bounced ‘back to life’ far quicker & with greater resilience than ANY SUPPOSED EXPERT ‘scientists’ had predicted.

[@JaniLassila]

So much talk about nuclear war, but how about question whether nuclear war is possible or plausible scenario in the first place. There are 3 requirements in the nuclear war that cannot be won in any traditional sense: 1) You need to be able to launch large enough number of nuclear weapons with large enough explosive power, 2) you need to be able to hit the targets without large percent of weapons stopped in the middle or their route into the target and most importantly 3) you need to be able prevent scenario where nuclear weapons are launched and hit into target by some kind of accident before war has been fought with those very same weapons. In the coming age of General Artificial Intelligence, is it possible that one day current stockpiles of nuclear weapons will not be enough to create scenario of nuclear war which cannot be win, which cause collapse of any civilized nations as we know it. It's really a question that is it possible to have such a post scarcity civilization which can survive even global nuclear war. And about Russia's 312 deployed ICBMs versus 44 interceptors, those numbers are only what has been available for the public. The fact is that relying on interception is always better than relying on luck, which will ultimately run out one day (except in the scenario where nuclear weapons cannot never be used in nuclear war, for some unforeseen hidden reason).

[@Chirality452]

The interceptors are not designed against Russia. They are designed against North Korea.

[@floydlawsen]

Just because nuclear war is a bad idea doesn't mean it won't happen.

[@KurtHitzeman-be5mi]

Can any nation deactivate an ACBM after an accidental launch? If not, why not? If someone accidentally launched a bomb at us, then frantically called and told us they had switched it off, would there be enough time before we respond with our 82 launches? If we waste a ton of money for the questionable Sentinel upgrade, I hope we at least get a detonation stop switch... or maybe a remote missile explosion switch to show our target nation that we successfully cancelled our booboo bomb. Hopefully they can do the same if they have already responded.

[@tuckerbugeater]

cool

[@christopherjonsson1313]

What about going to Salt Mines. I heard they could help people a city as big as Detroit. Have people thought of this Ms. Jacobsen? You might be underneath one right now.

[@monopalle5768]

I'm not scared.... The UN is under obligation to help us, when we become refugees. Free education, health care, housing....

[@elitetrader5468]

Europe will be gone.

[@monopalle5768]

@@elitetrader5468 So we get free stuff in China or Africa.... Its human rights.

[@iancoles1349]

The rich scurry down the holes like rats

[@Cazgirl-hq4hi]

They that caused it i the first place.

[@Finewhinetoday]

I could not put down this book. Riveting and horrifying. One mad man away from world annihilation .

[@robertrinehart9036]

There is no winner in a nuke war. Insanity

[@ChrisPatten-vl4el]

Lets hope me and my family our not here before it happens

[@charles2675]

Happy time's 🎉

[@gooddaysahead1]

Her delivery (not voice) is far too dramatic and somewhat patronizing to Michael and to us, the listeners. Conversational style would have been more than adequate.

[@tunabomber111]

55:54 The Day After is a "movie", not a "mini-series".

[@sifridbassoon]

these days, it's usually broken into two parts, so maybe a mini-series.

[@rossriver75yukon27]

I don’t like that it’s even talked about really. It may make it an “ordinary” topic among many internet topics. Yet it should be talked about just enough so that people, especially young people, know about it. Because they are not able to remember the Cold War and likely have not been taught about the unimaginable horror of a nuclear bomb. It’s been replaced by climate change, racism, gender issues etc. etc. in schools. I’m afraid.

[@tacocat6035]

What happens? Everyone sighs with relief.

[@jcw3195]

Quit watching; half it is commercials.

[@Aloneagainofcourse]

At least I know what to expect.

[@RavenTD46]

I too had a nuclear shelter under the dining table .

[@jacquesjanssen7361]

Highly interesting video. Easy to listen to. Clarifies much.

[@martinrady]

Michael Shermer one of the best discussions you've had to date

[@robertrinehart9036]

It is sick. Let’s just get along

[@mrkeym.5386]

This woman has clearly never played Fallout

[@MP-lu1yo]

Oh my,that voice!!!!!

[@Chirality452]

I've read Jacobsen's book. One key problem is that over the Ukraine War arms control has completely broken down. I think she presents a very unlikely scenario. However, she does provide a lot of information for those who are previously uninformed about all of this. I have made a video in which I present my views. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gobReoFtnbebhrc

[@tikiewel]

What do people commit suicide?

[@sherrydionisio4306]

…and aren’t we so very impressed with the depths of our intelligence.

[@MajorTom1313]

"More Nuclear weapons makes us more safe" Sounds like Nato rhetoric

[@tinkerduck1373]

That's like several guys standing in a puddle of gasoline and one is boasting about having more matches than the other ones.

[@douglackie3777]

If this nightmare really comes true and I am in the strike zone?!I hope it happens when I’m sound asleep!

[@joebutler5389]

You want to sell your book only!!! Like many other

[@stevendunn6832]

This will be the greatest reset imaginable to us

[@jesserenew]

If a nuclear war can be winnable between USA and Russia who will win guys?

[@antispindr8613]

The 'only way to win a nuclear war is not to fight one'. Wargames

[@rossriver75yukon27]

Can AI be programmed to disable nuclear weapon use? How else to walk us back from all these weapons in existence?

[@TeamMantid]

Id like to see Annie ride a warhead into the ground like Captain Tom did at the end of Dr Strangelove. Shed love it!

[@robertthompson3814]

One of the best books on nuclear war. The public needs to know the facts. We are on the razor's edge of oblivion. I realized this back in 1974 when I worked at a nuclear missile base in south Florida.

[@BaconbuttywithCheese]

Annie has the Cadbury Fox voice.

[@Aloneagainofcourse]

Imagine if only the trailer parks survive 😮

[@Zeus-the-mighty]

Yeah I think we’re gonna make it brother. You good.

[@ScottBrown-zz4sk]

It's gonna be great your no going to have to sit outside for hours just to get a good suntan 😂👍👍

[@13Ghosty13]

the bunker/tunnel/underground thing as a way to survive is so fatally flawed, and its so obvious. temperatures 5 times the core of the sun - these underground "havens" become like kilns. amazing to me how often this is overlooked when its quite obvious really.

[@tomwithey711]

Heat dissipates relatively easily in the air upwards and outwards. Your idea is flawed.

[@kivancsil]

"Nuclear Winter" OR...worse: Global South Virtue Signaling. *Runs away screaming in horror. *

[@stammercane2427]

this ladies voice is sort of aggravating.

[@richtaub3124]

I have nightmares listening to her !

[@guntherbeckman1257]

Annies voice is like butter on mashed potooters

[@LCculater]

It’s always about her book ? Just tell the story please .

[@DaveInCanada081]

Oh, her voice and drama!🫠