It might get brought up because before the first atomic bomb was detonated, one of the physicists who worked on it (Edward Teller) suggested the possibility tha

It might get brought up because before the first atomic bomb was detonated, one of the physicists who worked on it (Edward Teller) suggested the possibility that detonating the bomb would ignite Earth's atmosphere. There's a bit more information here: http://www.sciencemusings.com/2005/10/what-didnt-happen.html http://www.sciencemusings.com/2005/10/what-didnt-happen.html