How to survive a nuclear war after a bomb has been dropped, including what to do and how to prepare for it

Since the Manhattan Project exploded the first atomic bomb in the middle of the New Mexico desert 78 years ago, there has been a rising concern about the possibility of nuclear war.

The new film "Oppenheimer," directed by Christopher Nolan and released in theatres on Friday, focuses on the construction of the first nuclear bomb, a project that was overseen by J. Robert Oppenheimer. The film's message is still relevant today despite the fact that it is set many years in the past.

"It's reasonable to say that we're in the middle of a very dangerous era," Stephen Miles, head of the activist organisation Win Without War, said on Monday during a panel discussion about the movie. "The use of nuclear weapons appears more conceivable today than at any point since the conclusion of the Cold War," Miles added. "The movie is called "The Post."

Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has issued several warnings concerning the use of nuclear warfare. In June, he said that Russia was transferring tactical nuclear weapons into Belarus, which marked an escalation in the severity of these threats.

The leadership of the United States has said that there is no evidence to suggest that Russia intends to deploy these weapons. On the other hand, Vice President Joe Biden has brought up the prospect of a nightmare scenario, which is an all-out nuclear war.

Some knowledgeable commentators see Vladimir Putin's language as an effort to dissuade Western nations from continuing their support for Ukraine, while others regard it as a major rise in the possibility of nuclear conflict.

According to the opinions of several experts, a nuclear assault is still very improbable, although they do not rule it out entirely.

How much time would pass between a nuclear warning and an attack on the United States?

If yourd the first atomic bomb in the middle of the New Mexico desert 78 years ago, there has been a rising concern about the possibility of nuclear war.

The new film "Oppenheimer," directed by Christopher Nolan and released in theatres on Friday, focuses on the construction of the first nuclear bomb, a project that was overseen by J. Robert Oppenheimer. The film's message is still relevant today despite the fact that it is set many years in the past.

"It's reasonable to say that we're in the middle of a very dangerous era," Stephen Miles, head of the activist organisation Win Without War, said on Monday during a panel discussion about the movie. "The use of nuclear weapons appears more conceivable today than at any point since the conclusion of the Cold War," Miles added. "The movie is called "The Post."

Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has issued several warnings concerning the use of nuclear warfare. In June, he said that Russia was transferring tactical nuclear weapons into Belarus, which marked an escalation in the severity of these threats.

The leadership of the United States has said that there is no evidence to suggest that Russia intends to deploy these weapons. On the other hand, Vice President Joe Biden has brought up the prospect of a nightmare scenario, which is an all-out nuclear war.

Some knowledgeable commentators see Vladimir Putin's language as an effort to dissuade Western nations from continuing their support for Ukraine, while others regard it as a major rise in the possibility of nuclear conflict. city was being attacked, you would most likely get a text message on your mobile phone called a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) warning you that missiles were on their way and that you needed to find cover as soon as possible.

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) would also broadcast the same warning message as the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) across all forms of television and radio transmissions, including cable, satellite, and wireless networks. In addition to that, the President may decide to send out a "Presidential Alert" to all of the mobile phones throughout the country.

The nuclear arsenal that Russia possesses has the potential to strike almost any location on the globe. If Russia were to fire an intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a nuclear weapon towards the United States, inhabitants would have around thirty minutes or fewer to seek cover, if they were given timely warning of the impending assault. There is a possibility that the delivery time for some weapons, like as missiles fired from submarines, might be reduced.

Brian J. Morra, a former Air Force intelligence officer, a retired senior executive in the aerospace and defence sector, and an author, "in theory, you could park a submarine closer to North America, thereby decreasing the warning and flight time." Morra is also a senior executive in the aerospace and defence industry.

In the event that Russia were to fire a weapon from international seas close off the East Coast, residents of major cities such as New York City, Boston, and Washington, DC could only have ten to fifteen minutes to take shelter or seek shelter elsewhere.

Irwin Redlener, a public-health professor at Columbia University who specialises in disaster preparation and told Insider last year that you would not even have time to go pick up your children from school in the event of a catastrophic event.

It is arguable that the American public is not as prepared or educated on what to do in the event of a nuclear attack as Americans were during the Cold War, when stocked fallout shelters, nuclear exercises, and air raid sirens were in place throughout the country. [C]onsider, for example, the fact that Americans were not as prepared or educated on what to do in the event of a nuclear assault as they were during the Cold War. So in order to assist you, here is a minute-by-minute guidance.

After a nuclear assault, what steps should be taken?

The time period ranging from minutes to hours following a nuclear explosion is a crucial window. According to research conducted by the Johns Hopkins Centre for Health Security, the risk of being exposed to radiation drops by 55% within an hour after an explosion and by 80% within 24 hours.

Your chance of dying or being seriously injured may be reduced if you take precautions as soon as possible during the first few hours of the event by doing things like shielding your eyes or taking refuge indoors. In the event that the worst-case scenario occurs, this is how you can defend yourself.

Cover your eyes and put something over your face for the first half an hour.

Redlener said , the United States does not possess an adequate warning system for nuclear threats.

This was a valuable lesson for Hawaii to learn in 2018, when the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency made the mistake of sending an incorrect push alert to people's cellphones, alerting them of a potential danger posed by an incoming ballistic missile.

"Seek refuge as soon as possible. The notice said that this was not a practise run. The message had been sent out in error by a member of staff at the agency.

It caused chaos," claimed Redlener, who went on to say that "some people just totally ignored it, and some people went into panic mode and were jumping down sewer drains with their children."

According to Redlener, listening to the radio or watching television would probably be the most reliable method to find out about an oncoming nuclear assault. He noted that even those who did not have direct access to news stories may hear the sirens, but that the volume might be confused. According to him, by the time you searched the sirens or dialled the police department's number, your window of opportunity will have closed.

The most prudent thing you can do is to just turn away from what you're seeing. When a nuclear weapon detonates, it causes a brief illumination followed by the eruption of a massive orange blaze. A one megaton bomb, which is about eighty times bigger than the "Little Boy" atomic weapon that was detonated over Hiroshima, Japan, has the potential to temporarily blind persons up to thirteen miles away during the day and up to fifty-three miles away during the night.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention also suggests lowering to the ground with your face down and tucking your hands under your body to shield your skin from flying debris or searing heat that might burn your skin. This can be done by dropping on your stomach with your hands tucked under your body. Cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief or scarf if you have one available.

But you should be sure to keep your lips open so that the pressure doesn't cause your eardrums to explode. If you are in an above-ground structure, research shows that you should avoid narrow corridors and entrances because they might behave like a wind tunnel and accelerate the detonation's shockwaves to hazardous, bone-crushing pressures. Instead, find a place to hide behind a wall in a wide open area, and if at all possible, stay away from rooms that have windows.

During the first half an hour, anyone outside should seek cover inside, away from windows.

A single nuclear attack might cause an instantaneous death toll of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, in a big metropolis like New York or Washington. The number of individuals killed is proportional to the magnitude of the weapon, the location of the explosion, and the number of people that are in the path of the blast.

Those who survived a nuclear assault would have about fifteen minutes to get to safety before the radioactive particles that resembled sand and are known as nuclear fallout reached the earth. Radiation poisoning, which may happen from being exposed to fallout, can cause cells in the body to get damaged, which can ultimately be deadly.

People looking for safety should preferably go in the opposite direction of any structures that have collapsed.

"You'd want to go in the direction away from the wind," Redlener stated. He continued by saying, "Get as far away as you can in the next 10 to 15 minutes, and then immediately seek shelter before the radiation cloud descends."

The safest places to take refuge are within structures like schools or offices that have very few or no windows and a basement where people may set up camp. Even if there aren't any substantial structures nearby, being inside is preferable than being outdoors in this kind of weather.

If you have to take refuge inside of a structure with many stories, the best place to do so is at the building's middle level. Stay away from the upper and lower levels. If the structure contains windows, the best place to stand is in the middle of a room. Shock waves may cause windows to break up to 10 miles distant from the epicentre of an explosion, which can result in shards of glass flying through the air and potentially injuring persons in the area.

Showering and staying inside for the first twenty-four hours is highly recommended.

Radiation exposure should be limited as much as possible in the hours immediately after an explosion.

In most cases, radiation damage may be treated by physicians using drugs such as potassium iodide; nevertheless, "there are certain dose levels that you can't do anything about," according to Kathryn Higley, a professor of nuclear physics at Oregon State University who spoke to Insider about the topic.

However, in the event of a catastrophe, there may not be enough medical professionals or hospital beds to care for everyone.

Tara Drozdenko, head of the Global Security Programme at the Union of Concerned Scientists, there are not enough vacant burn beds in the whole United States to cope with even a single nuclear assault on one city in the United States. This information was shared with Insider by Drozdenko.

People who were outdoors when an explosion occurred should take a shower as quickly as possible, ensuring that the water is warm and that they apply the soap in a gentle manner. Scrubbing too vigorously may cause damage to the skin, which is the body's natural barrier against infection. While you are washing off, you should also cover any wounds or abrasions that you may have. Carry out the same procedures for your dogs as well.

After being exposed to a nuclear bomb, you should avoid using items such as conditioner, body lotion, or face cream since these types of products might bind to radioactive particles and trap them in the skin and hair.

Because debris may get lodged in your nose, ears, and eyelids, you should blow your nose and clean your eyes and ears. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also suggests placing any tissues or cloths that were used to clean your body or face into a plastic bag and then closing the bag.

According to the CDC, it is perfectly OK to eat food that has been stored in airtight containers such as packages, bottles, or cans. You may also consume anything from your refrigerator or pantry, provided that you thoroughly clean any containers, cookware, countertops, and utensils that you use. But anything that has been exposed to the elements, such as fruits or vegetables harvested from a garden, should not be consumed.

It is in your best interest to remain where you are until the danger of contamination has passed, unless you have been specifically instructed to leave the building. Following a nuclear detonation, the United States Department of Health and Human Services advises people to remain inside for at least twenty-four hours.

The first week, tune in to the radio or television for updates on the following stages.

Listening to the local radio for information and recommendations on what to do next is something that the World Health Organisation strongly recommends doing. Radios that are powered by batteries or by a hand crank are more likely to function than your cellular phone, television, or internet connection.

It's possible that the authorities may tell you over the radio either to remain where you are or to evacuate to a safer region. If you or someone else with you becomes ill, you will most likely be informed of the medical assistance that is available at this location.

If you choose to go outdoors, you should be aware that there will be radioactive fallout falling from the sky. The majority of the fallout from a nuclear explosion returns to the earth after about one week.

If you want to lower your risk of infection, cover your mouth and nose with a wet towel whenever you walk outdoors, and check to make sure you don't have any open wounds that are showing. Additionally, you should stay away from any foods that are openly exposed to the air, such as fresh fruit and open water sources.

The most important thing you can do is to stay indoors for the first week until the bulk of the radioactive fallout falls back down to the earth. This is ultimately the greatest thing you can do.