☢️ Nuclear War

Overview

Nuclear war is the single most destructive event humans can inflict on themselves. A single 1-megaton warhead can obliterate everything within 6 km of ground zero, cause third-degree burns at 12 km, and scatter lethal radioactive fallout across hundreds of square kilometers. A full-scale exchange between major powers (4,000+ warheads) would kill hundreds of millions in hours and trigger a nuclear winter lasting years.

Nine nations possess approximately 12,500 nuclear warheads as of 2025. The US and Russia hold over 90%. The Doomsday Clock sits at 90 seconds to midnight.

Your survival depends on three things: distance from detonation, shielding from radiation, and time.

Blast Effects

All figures reference a 1-megaton airburst at optimal detonation altitude (~2,000 m), based on Glasstone & Dolan’s The Effects of Nuclear Weapons and NUKEMAP modeling.

Damage Zones

Thermal Radiation

The thermal pulse travels at the speed of light — you see the flash before the blast wave arrives.

• First-degree burns: up to 18 km
• Third-degree burns: up to 12 km
• Flash blindness: up to 85 km in clear weather

Critical rule: If you see a flash, do not look at it. Drop behind any solid object immediately. The blast wave takes ~30 seconds to reach 10 km — that’s your window.

Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP)

A high-altitude detonation (300+ km) generates EMP that can disable electronics across an entire continent. A surface burst produces localized EMP within the blast radius.

Fallout & Radiation

If you survive the detonation, fallout is what you’re fighting for the next two weeks.

How Fallout Works

A ground burst scoops millions of tons of irradiated debris into the atmosphere. This material rises in the mushroom cloud, then falls back to earth over hours to days. Airbursts produce minimal local fallout. Ground bursts produce catastrophic fallout. In a full-scale war, expect hundreds of ground bursts.

Fallout Patterns (1 MT ground burst, 25 km/h winds)

• Lethal zone (600+ rad/48 hrs): ~30 km downwind, 3–5 km wide
• Severe exposure (300+ rad): ~80 km downwind
• Significant exposure (100+ rad): ~160 km downwind
• Detectable fallout: 300+ km downwind

The Rule of 7/10

For every 7-fold increase in time after detonation, radiation intensity decreases by a factor of 10.

If you can shelter for 48 hours, you’ve survived 99% of the radiation.

Radiation Dose Effects

Shelter

Protection Factor (PF)

Shielding: Halving Thickness

Improvised Shelter (30 min to a few hours)

1. Best: Deepest interior room of the most massive building — parking garage, office basement, bank vault.
2. At home: Basement. Stack furniture, books, soil bags, water containers against walls and on the floor above.
3. No basement: Interior bathroom/closet, lowest floor. Fill bathtub with water for drinking.
4. Outdoors: Dig trench 4 ft deep, 3 ft wide. Cover with doors/lumber. Pile 18+ inches of earth on top.

First 72 Hours Protocol

Phase 1: Detonation (0–60 minutes)

1. Get inside. Get underground. Get to the center of the largest building.
2. Seal doors and windows — wet cloth over gaps, plastic sheeting with duct tape.
3. Turn off HVAC systems that draw outside air.
4. Fill every container with water immediately.
5. Battery-powered AM radio for emergency broadcasts.

Phase 2: Shelter-in-Place (1–48 hours)

1. Do not go outside. The first 48 hours are the most dangerous.
2. Ration water: 1 gallon per person per day minimum.
3. If you must go out (medical emergency), limit to 15 minutes maximum. Brush off clothing before re-entering.
4. Monitor radio for fallout patterns and evacuation orders.

Phase 3: Cautious Emergence (48–72 hours)

1. Brief trips outside (30 min max) become possible.
2. Assess surroundings, gather supplies, connect with neighbors.
3. Establish water collection (rain is generally safe after 48 hours if no ongoing detonations).
4. Begin community organization.

Water & Food After Fallout

Water

• Underground sources (wells, springs) are generally safe — soil filters fallout particles.
• Covered water (sealed containers, water heaters, toilet tanks) is safe.
• Open water (ponds, streams): Let sediment settle, filter through cloth, then purify. Fallout particles settle; dissolved radiation is minimal.
• Rainwater: Safe after ~48 hours post-detonation (if no new blasts).

Food

• Sealed food (cans, jars, sealed packages): Safe. Wash exterior before opening.
• Exposed food: Peel or wash thoroughly. Root vegetables are safest — discard outer layers.
• Meat from exposed animals: Generally safe if animal appears healthy. Avoid bone marrow and organ meat (concentrates radionuclides).

Nuclear Winter

A full-scale exchange (100+ warheads on cities) injects massive soot into the stratosphere:

• Temperature drop: 5–15°C globally for 2–10 years
• Growing seasons: Shortened or eliminated for 1–5 years
• Sunlight: Reduced 20–70% depending on soot load
• UV radiation: Increased after soot clears (ozone depletion)

Agricultural implications: Grain production could drop 90% in the first year. Stockpiled and preserved food becomes the difference between life and death.

Gear Checklist

Tier 1 — Essential

• Potassium iodide (KI) tablets
• N95/P100 respirator masks
• Plastic sheeting + duct tape
• Battery-powered AM/FM radio + extra batteries
• Water containers (minimum 7 gallons/person)
• First aid kit
• Flashlights + batteries
• 2-week food supply (canned/dried)

Tier 2 — Prepared

• Dosimeter (CDV-742 or modern equivalent)
• Geiger counter / survey meter
• Full-face respirator with NBC filters
• MOPP suit or Tyvek coveralls
• Hand-crank radio + solar charger
• Water purification (filter + chemical treatment)
• 30-day food supply

Tier 3 — Advanced

• Underground shelter with ventilation
• NBC air filtration system
• RADTriage card dosimeters (multiple)
• Ham radio (HF for long distance)
• Faraday cage for critical electronics
• Seed bank (heirloom, non-GMO varieties)
• Medical supplies (antibiotics, anti-emetics, burn treatment)

References

• Glasstone & Dolan, The Effects of Nuclear Weapons (1977)
• Cresson Kearny, Nuclear War Survival Skills (OISM, updated 2001)
• FEMA Expedient Shelter Designs
• Robock et al., “Nuclear winter revisited” (2007)
• EMP Commission Report to Congress (2008)

Content researched and drafted by Pip 🐣 | Integrated by Alfred 🧠