89 seconds to midnight: Understanding the threats nuclear weapons pose

IOL News

23-06-2025

Nuclear weapons explained: History, power, nations involved, and war risk.
Image: Pixabay
It is 89 seconds to midnight. This is according to the Doomsday Clock, a symbolic clock maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
The clock represents how close humanity is to global catastrophe, 'midnight' symbolises apocalypse, usually nuclear war, climate disaster, or other existential threats.
With the US getting involved by bombing Iran, alarms are going off over the possibility of a larger conflict with nuclear weapons.
Nuclear weapons remain the most destructive armaments ever created, capable of annihilating cities in seconds and threatening the survival of humanity.
Developed in the 20th century, their design, spread, and potential for use continue to dominate global security discussions.
How a nuclear bomb works
A nuclear bomb releases massive energy through either nuclear fission or a combination of fission and nuclear fusion. In fission bombs, heavy atoms such as uranium-235 or plutonium-239 are split into smaller atoms, releasing energy and neutrons that trigger a chain reaction. In thermonuclear or hydrogen bombs, fusion reactions, where light atoms such as hydrogen isotopes combine produce far greater explosive power.
These reactions release energy in the form of intense heat, shockwaves, radiation, and electromagnetic pulses.
The result is catastrophic: a single nuclear bomb can flatten a city, incinerate thousands instantly, and leave long-term radiation effects.
Who created the first nuclear weapon?
The first nuclear bomb was developed during the Second World War under the Manhattan Project, a top-secret programme led by the United States with support from the United Kingdom and Canada.
The scientific team was headed by physicist Julius Robert Oppenheimer, and the first successful test, codenamed Trinity, occurred on July 16, 1945, in New Mexico.
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Countries with nuclear weapons
As of 2025, nine countries officially possess nuclear weapons:
Russia - approximately 5,889 warheads (the front part of a bomb or missile that contains explosives).
US - around 5,244 warheads
China - 500 warheads
France - around 290 warheads
The United Kingdom - an estimated 225 warheads; all deployed on submarines.
Pakistan - around 170 warheads
India - 170 warheads
Israel is widely believed to possess around 90 nuclear weapons, although it has never officially confirmed this, maintaining a policy of ambiguity.
North Korea is estimated to have produced between 40 and 50 warheads and continues to conduct missile tests and develop its programme in defiance of international sanctions.
Power and impact
The explosive power of nuclear bombs is measured in kilotons or megatons of TNT. For comparison:
The bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 had a yield of about 15 kilotons.
Modern thermonuclear weapons can exceed 1,000 kilotons (1 megaton), making them dozens to hundreds of times more powerful.
The human, environmental, and geopolitical impacts of even a single modern nuclear detonation are almost incalculable.
Use of nuclear weapons in war:
Nuclear weapons have only been used twice in conflict, both by the US against Japan in August 1945. On August 6, a uranium bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, killing approximately 140,000 people by the end of the year.
Three days later, on August 9, a plutonium bomb devastated Nagasaki, resulting in around 70,000 additional deaths. Many victims died from burns, radiation sickness, and injuries, while survivors have lived with long-term health consequences and trauma.
Probability of nuclear war
The risk of nuclear war remains low but not negligible. Tensions between nuclear-armed states such as those involving Russia and NATO, China and the US, or India and Pakistan pose serious concerns.
Accidental launches, miscalculations, or the breakdown of communication systems could spark unintended escalation.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists currently places the Doomsday Clock the closest it has ever been to 'midnight'. This symbolic measure reflects the heightened risk of nuclear conflict, especially amid rising geopolitical instability, modernisation of arsenals, and arms control breakdowns.
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