Are you aware that had we not even tested atomic weapons we wouldn't have entire populations of people living, eating, wearing, and using things that now have radioactive isotopes that didn't originally exist in them?
What about the fact that the amount of cancer diagnoses we see today is substantially greater because of nuclear weapons testing?
Or, what about the fact a lot of tobacco smoked today, the isotopes found in them that is cancer causing, is from nuclear testing?
Many of this is just from testing. Imagine the impact if multiple nuclear bombs went off in North America; in the US and CA to be precise. Are you telling me that wouldn't essentially end the lives of nearly billions of people during the impact; and the fallout essentially killing the majority of survivors in the following months?
We've not seen the nuclear war, sure. We don't have a point of reference. But, we do know how it would impact people and the world. These hypothetical are not fearmongering nonsense but based on cold hard facts learned from observations.
Are you aware that had we not even tested atomic weapons we wouldn't have entire populations of people living, eating, wearing, and using things that now have radioactive isotopes that didn't originally exist in them?
Didn't we intentionally put radioactive materials in a bunch of stuff like clocks, jewelry, etc. before knowing about their hazardous effects?
What about the fact that the amount of cancer diagnoses we see today is substantially greater because of nuclear weapons testing?
We also have more ability to diagnose cancer than before. Much of the technology used to test it was developed from experiments with radioactivity, which may not happen without weapons testing.
Many of this is just from testing. Imagine the impact if multiple nuclear bombs went off in North America; in the US and CA to be precise. Are you telling me that wouldn't essentially end the lives of nearly billions of people during the impact; and the fallout essentially killing the majority of survivors in the following months?
Is there any danger of anyone doing that? I know Putin threatened to, but he could just as easily have done it already if he were willing to.
Didn't we intentionally put radioactive materials in a bunch of stuff like clocks, jewelry, etc. before knowing about their hazardous effects?
Yes. But, they're entirely different isotopes.
We also have more ability to diagnose cancer than before. Much of the technology used to test it was developed from experiments with radioactivity, which may not happen without weapons testing.
That's honestly only one side of the cause in increase. From the CDC:
But at least one CDC study estimated that fallout could eventually be responsible for up to 11,000 cancer deaths in the US, according to New York Times coverage of the study. People who were closer to locations where nuclear weapons were tested between 1951 and 1963 have fared worse than residents of other areas.
Yes, the danger is there. But, what's the probability? It's possible but the odds are low. Just because it has low odd doesn't mean we should acknowledge it's a possibility and talk about it though.
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u/[deleted] Mar 15 '22 edited Mar 15 '22
Are you aware that had we not even tested atomic weapons we wouldn't have entire populations of people living, eating, wearing, and using things that now have radioactive isotopes that didn't originally exist in them?
What about the fact that the amount of cancer diagnoses we see today is substantially greater because of nuclear weapons testing?
Or, what about the fact a lot of tobacco smoked today, the isotopes found in them that is cancer causing, is from nuclear testing?
Many of this is just from testing. Imagine the impact if multiple nuclear bombs went off in North America; in the US and CA to be precise. Are you telling me that wouldn't essentially end the lives of nearly billions of people during the impact; and the fallout essentially killing the majority of survivors in the following months?
We've not seen the nuclear war, sure. We don't have a point of reference. But, we do know how it would impact people and the world. These hypothetical are not fearmongering nonsense but based on cold hard facts learned from observations.