22 Interesting Facts About Nuclear Weapons You Never Knew

Definition


Nuclear weapons are defined as bombs or missiles that use nuclear energy to cause an explosion.

The USA


The United States was the first country to manufacture nuclear weapons with the help of the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Use In Combat

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The United States is the only country to have used nuclear weapons in combat, with the two separate bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II.

Department Of Energy


The budget for nuclear weapons in the States is not included in the spendings of the Department of Defense.

It falls under the Department of Energy.

The Origin


10% of US nuclear energy comes from recycled soviet nuclear weapons.

Warheads


There are more than 15,000 nuclear warheads in the world: About 7,300 are Russian and about 7,000 are located in the States.

$25 Billion


The USA spend approximately $25 billion every year on nuclear weapons.

The Radius


A nuclear weapon fired over a city would immediately destroy everything within a 50-mile radius of the landing point.

Countries


Nine countries have declared that they possess nuclear weapons: US, Russia, China, North Korea, France, UK, Israel, Pakistan and India.



Nuclear weaponry helps to verify the authenticity of paintings. Actually It is a reliable way of detecting art forgeries.

First Nuclear Weapon

Because if the painting contains certain isotopes (cesium-137 & strontium-90), it must be from after 1945, as these isotopes did not exist in nature before the first use of nuclear weapons in 1945.


On the 16th of July 1945 the USA tests it first nuclear weapon "Trinity".

Hiroshima

This is the beginning of the nuclear weapon era.


6 August 1945: USA drops atomic (uranium) bomb on Hiroshima, killing more than 140,000 people within months.

Nagasaki

Many die later because due to heavy radiation.

Lake Chagan


9 August 1945: US army drops a second atomic (Plutonium) bomb on Nagasaki killing over 75,000.

Soviet Union


Lake Chagan in Kazakhstan was created using a nuclear weapon: The Chagan Nuclear Test.

Nevada Test Site


29 August 1949: Soviet Union tests its first nuclear bomb.

The Lost Bomb


From 1951 to 1992, there were a total of 928 announced nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site.

France


February 1958, the United States Air Force lost a 7,600 pound hydrogen bomb in Georgia and it remains until today unfound.


13 February 1960: France tests it first nuclear weapon in the Sahara.



In the 1950s and ’60s the British government tested nukes in the rural area of Maralinga (Australia). British and Australian soldiers were used as guinea pigs to test the effects of radiation on humans.

China

The area was also heavily populated by aborigines.


16 October 1964: China conducts it first nuclear test. In total China conducted 45 tests at the Lop Nor testing site.

Latin America


Since the 14th February of 1967 Latin America becomes officially nuclear free.

Us Stealth Bombers

The Treaty of Tlatelolco is signed in Mexico City.

India


18 May 1974: India conducts first nuclear test.


A single US stealth bomber is able to carry 16 "B83 nuclear bombs". Each of those bombs can produce 75 times the power and destruction of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

North Korea

The B83 has been developed by the United States in the late 70's.

Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty


9 October 2006: North Korea conducts nuclear test.


7 July 2017: UN adopts nuclear weapon ban treaty.

USA and North Korea

Two-thirds of the world’s nations vote to adopt the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Trump VS Kim Jong-un


"If the United States attacks North Korea, it will respond with nuclear weapons." That's the reaction of the North Korean administration after threats and heavy critics from US President Donald Trump.


To be continued...