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No, idiots are still impressed by big explosions. There's a reason it was scaled down from 100 MT, and even then it was known to be a waste, it used no new tech
by M_Grey 10y ago
No, idiots are still impressed by big explosions. There's a reason it was scaled down from 100 MT, and even then it was known to be a waste, it used no new tech, was not practically deliverable, and oh yes... much of the blast energy just shot up and out into the stratosphere. How useful. It was designed to be a political statement as part of Cold War politics, and it was known by even its designers then that it was a silly fucking thing to be doing. To be honest, most nuclear testing by that point fell into the, "Silly fucking thing to be doing category..." but idiots still haven't figured that out.
- mirimir 10y agoIf they'd had a Pacific test site, they might well have gone with 100 MT.
- M_Grey 10y agoI suspect that you're right, although I hope that sanity might have prevailed. It's hard to imagine the damage the uranium liner + 50 megatons would have done to that ecosystem. Of course if the US hadn't been experiencing so much political upheaval, they might have tried responding in kind.
- mirimir 10y agoSanity ;) The global nuclear arsenal is still over 2500 MT, I bet :(
- ourmandave 10y agoI wish the North Koreans would get that memo.
- M_Grey 10y agoThe sad fact is that they kind of are the exception to that rule. Kind of. They actually need to test to develop their weapons, and they want the weapons to ensure continuity of their regime, but also to sell the tech (probably). It's a pretty evil/batshit thing to be doing I grant you, but... if they want nukes despite that, they at least need to test. The crazy bastards.