Latest news with #DepartmentofEnvironmentalSciences
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Chilling warning India and Pakistan conflict will spark nuclear war 'at any time'
Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif has spoken out in the wake of India's sickening attack on Pakistani-controlled territory, which has killed dozens of people Nuclear war - which could cause 125 million deaths worldwide - is set to happen "at any time" following India's attack on Pakistan, it is warned today. Speaking in the wake of the missile attack, which has killed at least 30 people, Khawaja Asif, Pakistan's defence minister, said the consequences of further conflict could be dire. Experts told reporters more than 100 million people could die across the world if an all-out war occurs. And this is a fear shared by Mr Asif, who has told Pakistani TV channel Geo News: "If they [India] impose an all-out war on the region and if such dangers arise in which there is a stand-off, then at any time a nuclear war can break out. If they aggravate this then if a chance of war arises in which there is a sign of nuclear option being used on both sides, then the responsibility for that will be on India." Four young children were among those killed when Indian troops launched aircraft missile strikes on nine suspected "terrorist facilities" this week. Since the horror, fears of tit-for-tat bloodshed have grown - although politicians here, such as Labour MP Stella Creasy, have begged for restraint. It is believed India has told more than a dozen foreign envoys in New Delhi that "if Pakistan responds, India will respond". Yet, it is thought larger military conflict in one of the world's most dangerous - and most populated - nuclear flash-point regions could be dire, triggering famines that would affect "billions" around the globe. And Pakistan has already vowed to fight back against India, warning it reserves the right to respond to overnight missile strikes at a "time, place and manner of its choosing". Islamabad also deemed India's assault an 'act of war' that it claims deliberately targeted civilian areas - an allegation roundly denied by New Delhi. The overnight attack on Wednesday was in response to a massacre of civilians at a beauty spot in the Indian section of the disputed Kashmir region last month. This killed at least 26 people, most of whom were tourists. Pakistan and India are estimated to have just under 400 nuclear weapons between them. In 2019, researchers from Department of Environmental Sciences at the US Rutgers University found that, after killing around 125million in the initial nuclear blasts, the huge fires could pump around 16million to 36million tons of soot into the upper atmosphere, which would spread around the world within only a few weeks. This thick soot would reduce the amount of sunlight reaching Earth's surface by around 20% to 35%, causing the Earth to cool to two to five degrees.
Irish Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
India Pakistan war would kill 125 million - with global starvation to follow
Experts are sounding the alarm that over 100 million people could perish if India and Pakistan were to start a catastrophic nuclear war. A study published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has revealed that millions would die "immediately" if the ongoing tensions between the two nations escalated to nuclear conflict, with the potential release of massive dust clouds into the atmosphere possibly causing global famines affecting "billions". This stark warning comes in the wake of India's missile and drone strikes on Pakistan early Wednesday, which resulted in at least 26 fatalities. Pakistan has branded these strikes as an "act of war" and asserts it downed several Indian jets in response. The situation has intensified following an attack on tourists in the Indian-administered part of Kashmir, which India attributes to terrorist groups operating from Pakistan. With both countries possessing nearly 400 nuclear weapons collectively, scientists caution that the consequences of their use would have repercussions well beyond South Asia, reports the Mirror. India fires missiles at Pakistan and disputed Kashmir region as WW3 fears grow. Local residents examine a building damaged from a suspected Indian missile attack near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan controlled Kashmir, in Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Image: AP) Research conducted in 2019 by the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University in the US concluded that, aside from the immediate deaths of approximately 125 million people due to the initial nuclear explosions, subsequent colossal fires could inject between 16 million and 36 million tons of soot into the upper atmosphere. This soot would then encircle the globe within weeks. This thick soot would cut the sunlight reaching Earth's surface by 20% to 35%, causing chilling temperatures down to two to five degrees. A drop in sunlight and falling precipitation levels could set off a domino effect on agriculture, possibly leading to widespread famines affecting billions. Security forces patrol the street near Wuyan area of Pampore in south Kashmir where reportedly an unknown fighter jet fell from the sky as India carried out strikes in Pakistan on May 7, 2025. (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images) Nuclear fallout would scatter radioactive toxins far and wide. Scientists say the smoky skies might take up to ten years to clear. Speaking at the time, co-author of the study, Alan Robock, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University, remarked: "Nine countries have nuclear weapons, but Pakistan and India are the only ones rapidly increasing their arsenals." Amid continued tensions, particularly over Kashmir, understanding the repercussions of a nuclear conflict is crucial, he said: "Such a war would threaten not only the locations where bombs might be targeted but the entire world." Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mirror
India Pakistan war 'would spark Armageddon with 125m deaths and global starvation'
Hundreds of millions could die 'immediately' and billions more would be hit by knock-on effects on Earth's atmosphere if nuclear war broke out between India and Pakistan, scientists said More than 100 million people could die if India and Pakistan began a devastating nuclear war, experts have warned. An academic journal published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists found tens of millions of people would perish "immediately" should tensions between the two countries result in nuclear weapons being used - while huge plumes of dust released into the Earth's atmosphere could trigger famines that would affect "billions" around the world. It comes after India launched a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones into Pakistan early on Wednesday, killing at least 26 people. Pakistan described the strikes as an "act of war", and claimed it shot down several Indian fighter jets in retaliation. Tensions have soared between the nuclear-armed neighbours over a deadly attack on tourists in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, which India says was carried out by terror groups based in Pakistan. Pakistan and India are estimated to have just under 400 nuclear weapons between them - and scientists say the impacts of them ever being used would stretch far beyond South Asia. In 2019, researchers from Department of Environmental Sciences at the US Rutgers University found that, after killing around 125million in the initial nuclear blasts, the huge fires could pump around 16million to 36million tons of soot into the upper atmosphere, which would spread around the world within only a few weeks. This thick soot would reduce the amount of sunlight reaching Earth's surface by around 20% to 35%, causing the Earth to cool to two to five degrees. A lack of sunlight and a reduction in the amount of precipitation would also have wider knock-on effects in terms of agriculture, potentially causing mass famines that would impact billions of people. Nuclear fallout would also spread radioactive poisoning across a wide area. The amount of smoke in Earth's atmosphere means it would take as long as a decade for things to return to normal, the scientists warned. Alan Robock, a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University who co-authored the study, said at the time: 'Nine countries have nuclear weapons, but Pakistan and India are the only ones rapidly increasing their arsenals. 'Because of the continuing unrest between these two nuclear-armed countries, particularly over Kashmir, it is important to understand the consequences of a nuclear war.' He added: 'Such a war would threaten not only the locations where bombs might be targeted but the entire world.'
