Trivia: How many nuclear bombs, including tests, have been detonated on earth?

[Atreus21]

Correct answer may surprise you. Watch the video below to get the answer.

Second question: Of the world's top countries in terms of numbers of bombs dropped, who comes in third (behind Russia and the US)?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLCF7vPanrY

 

[rommelrommel]

I knew the third, and I remembered that the total was pretty high but I still underestimated it.

 

[Atreus21]

I knew the third, and I remembered that the total was pretty high but I still underestimated it.

I had no idea who the third was. My initial guess was China. Way off.

 

[jaqie]

Does this include explosions like the SRE, secondary emitted hydrogen gas explosions like the fukashima explosions, and meltdown explosion events like Chernobyl?

 

[Patranus]

IDK, 2000?
(Not watching a video)

Beyond retard that the US gave up its ability to build and test nuclear weapons.

 

[berzerker60]

IDK, 2000?
(Not watching a video)

Beyond retard that the US gave up its ability to build and test nuclear weapons.

What possible purpose could it serve? We have way more nuclear weapons than we could possibly need even in the event of nuclear war. Meanwhile, each test has serious environmental costs on top of actual costs of paying scientists, leasing land, taking measurements, etc.

 

[Doppel]

Meh, I am retarded I answered 3000 by mistake. I would have guessed a couple hundred.

 

[ElFenix]

What possible purpose could it serve? We have way more nuclear weapons than we could possibly need even in the event of nuclear war. Meanwhile, each test has serious environmental costs on top of actual costs of paying scientists, leasing land, taking measurements, etc.

for as much lip service as we paid to a countervalue strategy (MAD), our nuclear force was actually set up as a counterforce system (target the opponent's nuclear assets and try to win by taking them out). in which case you need more nukes (especially if you decide the opponent is doing the same)

 

[spidey07]

I'd guess at least a thousand, closer to 2.

The design of those warheads is freaking amazing in the amount of death from above and multiple warheads they deliver.

One nuclear blast isn't enough! Let's give you 9-15 spread out from one vessle! Oh, and we can launch it from a submarine!

ps - cool video

 

[woolfe9998]

I can't access the video from work. I guessed 100-400. What is the correct answer?

 

[LightPattern]

Now we just need nukes powering spacecraft.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I can't access the video from work. I guessed 100-400. What is the correct answer?

A little over 2k

 

[Strk]

Now we just need nukes powering spacecraft.

There were attempts, at least on paper, for such a thing.

 

[xBiffx]

Use Google maps/earth on southern Nevada sometime. Looks like "Swiss fucking cheese!" Pretty cool.

Just some of it:

https://maps.google.com/?ll=37.021606,-116.00893&spn=0.059277,0.132093&t=h&z=14

 

[unokitty]

Correct answer may surprise you. Watch the video below to get the answer.

Second question: Of the world's top countries in terms of numbers of bombs dropped, who comes in third (behind Russia and the US)?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLCF7vPanrY

Overall, some 2,010 tests were carried out internationally between 1945 and the opening for signature of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1996.

About a quarter of these were atmospheric tests. The United States and the Soviet Union carried out more than 200 each, according to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO). France carried out 45, Britain about 20, and China "over 20".

Short answer: Too many.

Uno

 

[thraashman]

I saw this video a little over a year ago. Quite fascinating. This was only up through 1998 so it hasn't accounted for things like North Korea. Then again I don't think there've been more than a handful of nuclear tests since 1998.

 

[dawp]

There were attempts, at least on paper, for such a thing.

they got as far as building a working rocket engine

http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/N/NERVA.html

a little more in depth

http://www.aerospaceamerica.org/Documents/Augustine Commission Reports/Rover_NERVA.pdf

 

[Franz316]

I remember TLC showing a documentary which I think was called Trinity and Beyond which shows a bunch a tests. It's pretty scary the pace they were detonating them at.

 

[PottedMeat]

One nuclear blast isn't enough! Let's give you 9-15 spread out from one vessle! Oh, and we can launch it from a submarine!

it's beautiful! :twisted:

 

[jman19]

Yeah, that's a pretty interesting video. I sent it around to co-workers about a year or two ago and most people were shocked.

 

[Ken g6]

they got as far as building a working rocket engine

http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/N/NERVA.html

a little more in depth

http://www.aerospaceamerica.org/Documents/Augustine Commission Reports/Rover_NERVA.pdf

Well, that's one way of doing it. The other way is Project Orion. (The old one, not the puny new chemical rocket. )

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Well, that's one way of doing it. The other way is Project Orion. (The old one, not the puny new chemical rocket. )

Yea, that's a real mans way of getting into space.

I like how in movies people always act like if one nuclear bomb goes off the whole planet is going to die off.

 

[Geosurface]

I used to sleep next to several trident missiles, each with several warheads - when I was in the US Navy serving on an Ohio-class submarine. Literally, the tube touched your bunk.

I believe in technology and while nuclear technology certainly has great dangers attached to it, the only way to perfect any technology is through repeated testing and refinement.

If we are going to advance as a species, and eventually inhabit multiple worlds... we aren't going to do it by being afraid of science.