By Daisy Luther
*Please check the end of the article for a correction on the original report.*
International correspondent Will Ripley just told the world on Twitter that North Korea is very serious with the threat to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean.
(Twitter)
The thing with nuclear tests is that they aren’t harmless. Currently, scientists are concerned that the numerous nuclear tests inside Mount Mantap could end up having long-term ecological repercussions. They fear that the peak is structurally weakening with they are referring to as “tired mountain syndrome.” An earthquake registering 6.3 on the Richter scale followed the most recent test, with four aftershocks. But that’s not all. Something far more horrific could happen if tests continue.
Days after the blast, satellite images showed evidence of landslides as the powerful bomb inflicted unprecedented levels of damage on the area. “These disturbances are more numerous and widespread than what we have seen from any of the five tests North Korea previously conducted,” said the website 38 North, which analyzes North Korea.
Now researchers are suggesting that Mount Tanap is suffering from something called “tired mountain syndrome,” which happens when rocks beneath the land shift and fracture in unforeseen and unknowable ways…
…One South Korean expert told CBS News that further tests at the site could be “potentially suicidal.” Another expert told NBC News that the ongoing tremors and landslides at the site mean another test “could risk radioactive pollution.”
…Experts in China say the consequences of that could be catastrophic. Wang Naiyan, formerly of the China Nuclear Society, warned in the South China Morning Post of the potential for what’s called “taking the roof off.”
“If the mountain collapses and the hole is exposed, it will let out many bad things,” he said. (source)
Now, the tests could hit closer to home. We all remember Kim Jong Un’s initial threat to “test” a nuclear weapon over the Pacific Ocean. This test would devastate ocean life:
The explosion would send radioactive particles flying through the air and into the water. Wind could carry the dangerous particles over hundreds of miles.
The smoke from the blast site could block out sunlight and hinder life forms at sea that depend on photosynthesis to survive. The exposure to radiation could cause severe health problems for nearby marine life…
The changes could lead to crippling mutations in future generations. The eggs and larvae of marine organisms are especially sensitive to radiation, according to experts. Affected animals could pass the exposure up the food chain. (source)
It isn’t just marine life that would be affected. The radiation from such a “test” would drift in very short order over the mainland United States, Canada, and Hawaii according to a “rough simulation” posted on Twitter by Lassina Zerbo, the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization.
In response to inquiries: Rough simulation (Sept15-29) of #radio-isotope cloud from hypothetical atmospheric burst over Pacific: #CTBT #IMS pic.twitter.com/361ZBkoUy7
— Lassina Zerbo (@SinaZerbo) September 28, 2017
As you can see from the simulation, the entire West Coast would be affected up into Canada. Then, radiation would spread across the Northern part of the United States.
On the other hand, as some commenters pointed out, there have been many, many nuclear tests since 1945. Check out this video. Things start getting very busy about 1962.
Would a North Korean test in the Pacific be different than these past tests? Stronger? Done in a more vulnerable location? Those are the unknown variables in the equation.
With the recent escalation of the war of words between Trump and Kim Jong Un, it’s difficult to imagine that war is very far off. Horrifying propaganda art has ensured that the North Koreans loathe and fear Americans, and North Korea has boasted that nearly 5 million young people have enlisted in their military to “send millions of nuclear bombs to wipe out the US.” And Dr. Ron Paul, former senator and presidential candidate warns us that a false flag could also be imminent. (And with our history, who would really be stunned by that?)
If you’re interested in learning more from the experts about how nuclear weapons work, how to protect yourself from radiation, and what to do in the event of a nuclear strike, this course has hours of fascinating interviews. For a quick refresher on nuclear survival, check out this article.
CORRECTION: Originally, I cited one of the numerous articles that stated Barksdale Air Force base has nuclear bombers on alert. The link stating that this was the case has been removed after a reader informed me that the Air Force has released the following statement:
A recent story and subsequent reposting by other outlets gave the false impression that there is a likelihood of B-52s returning to 24-hour alert status. This is incorrect, and there is no plan to return B-52s to 24-hour alert status or alert status for any length of time other than for standard readiness exercises.
Barksdale continuously maintains and upgrades infrastructure, conducts exercises and modernizes equipment to maintain a baseline level of readiness. This is a part of the organization, training and equipment mission to be ready to defend our nation when called upon. (source)
During the 60s there were numerous ground and air nuclear tests. Plenty of tests over water in the Pacific by the US, too. We are still here. I don’t think one low power (by today’s standards ) of a Nork test would end the world as we know it. Bad , but world ending.
You are a prime example of how some people are literally too stupid to live.
Nice reasoning there, feller. The facts are complicated and involve tremendous amounts of unknowns. But you’ve got all the answers narrowed down to an IQ smear. And who is it who is “literally too stupid…”?
That said, many people don’t understand the incremental impact of radiation exposure. So RayK is a bit optimistic. We need fewer chemicals and lower radiation levels polluting our food, water, and air. But back to you, we need far fewer morons vilifying everyone whose opinion diverges from their own. Arguing facts is one thing. That’s how people learn. Denigrating and name-calling is something else entirely unacceptable. That’s how societies self-destruct.
The solution is simple, and it’s coming soon. To save the Earth we need a massive nuclear exchange. Once Homo Sapiens (and a lot of other species) are wiped out, evolution can try again to make this a habitable planet. Perhaps next time the process will produce rational bipeds. Or none at all so as to protect the other life forms.
Dear UntraCynic – in your post where you call our Arleth for name-calling, do you realize that in the same sentence, you called Arleth a moron? It does not make your case stronger saying people should not call people names if you don’t like what they say, and then call them a name because you didn’t like what they said. Like Daisy has asked, let’s try to be civil to everyone on here. A little old-fashioned manners never hurt anyone. Or to put it another way – do unto others as you would have them do onto you.
Hi, RayK. I don’t mean to imply that it would end the world. I hope the article doesn’t come across that way. I do think it’s important to understand the ramifications of the threat so we can be better prepared. 🙂
almost 26 years now and nothing.
Ray K is correct. He’s not stupid for making that observation, Arlen,you appear to be “stupid” for attacking Ray. Go read a legitimate history book and you’ll see that Ray is right.
Here is an account of every nuclear bomb test and by which country since the first one in July of 1945.
Judge for yourself how much a new one would be a real threat and how much is scare and hype.
“A Time-Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion Since 1945 – by Isao Hashimoto”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLCF7vPanrY
Note that all of these tests were above ground (open air) explosions prior to the test ban treaty.
Steve C.
Spring, Texas
Steve, thank you for your comment, as always. That video is very eye opening and I updated the article to add it for a more thorough picture.
Always a pleasure Daisy.
If you are ever looking for a guest article I like to write and have no place to send them.
“…Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it…” — Robert Frost – American poet
Steve C.
Spring, Texas
I was actually going to hit you up about a “choosing a gun” article after the excellent advice you posted here. Is the email address on the server the best way to reach you?
Daisy,
Being self employed I am in and out so email is usually best.
Let me know what you are looking for and I will come up with something for you.
Steve C.
Spring, Texas
Enough! Either get on with it or stop the bickering. NK is attempting to hold the world hostage. Unfortunately, too many of the world leaders today have no backbone. China is whining, the Russians are sitting back to watch the game play out. Trump appears to be ready to incinerate NK but has all of the whining liberals in this country screaming bloody murder. If it were left to me, I would have fried the little fat guy and most of NK already. That’s what is going to take. Why wait for him to get even stronger?
You don’t seem to notice that we’ve been busy killing people all over the world as well.
Oren,
I just hope we wait to fry the little fat guy until my son, who is stationed in South Korea comes home.
Bless your heart. I am sure that is what most of the moms and some of the dads hope and pray for. As a former member of the military I will say that when we sign up, even more so today than prior to the all volunteer military, we know and acknowledge that the time might come when we have to put our lives on the line. I am sure that while your son no doubt does not want war, he is fully prepared to fight and even die if necessary, to protect all that you, I, he, and others in this nation hold dear. I hope and pray it does not come to that, but that is also why I will always honor those who make the choice to volunteer to serve in our military, knowing they might not come home again.
My friends, I really should not have to ask you to be civil. You are welcome to disagree, but you don’t need to call names. I often find that people with whom I disagree have valid points and that there are things I can learn from them. I don’t want the comments section to be a place where people are scared to voice a different opinion. We can debate til the cows come home, but I would appreciate it if you guys would stop with the ad hominem attacks and namecalling. I approve just about every comment. I am not going to censor you, but I am asking you politely – be civil. You’re in my house.
Thank you –
Daisy
“The explosion would send radioactive particles flying through the air and into the water. Wind could carry the dangerous particles over hundreds of miles.
The smoke from the blast site could block out sunlight and hinder life forms at sea that depend on photosynthesis to survive. The exposure to radiation could cause severe health problems for nearby marine life…
The changes could lead to crippling mutations in future generations. The eggs and larvae of marine organisms are especially sensitive to radiation, according to experts. Affected animals could pass the exposure up the food chain. (source)”
Whoever wrote that needs Gibbs slapped back into reality
I see you are repeating the same false report concerning B-52’a going back on cold war alert status. The USAF has already denied this very bad piece of reporting (called lying), and there are no B-52’s, or any other strategic bombers, back on alert status at Barksdale.
Do you people ever verify facts with anyone before vomiting someone else’s lie?
J Gibbs, PhD, Col. USAF (retired)
Thank you for your input, Col. Gibbs. I did check with numerous sources before posting that link, but it appears I missed that rebuttal. I’ve added a correction the Air Force’s statement and have also shared that link on my news site.
Best wishes,
Daisy
COL Gibbs, just saw an article in today’s Military.com DOD Buzz, which said that while the Air Force has not YET placed the bombers on 24 hour alert status, they are readying them for the eventuality of doing so in the near future. Now, are you also accusing Military.com of lying as well? What the USAF has stated is there are no bombers on alert status at Barksdale YET, apparently they did not go into the detail the general did who was the source of this Military.com article. They cite remarks made by a Gen David Goldfein who had stated it would be the logical next step, not just due to threats from N Korea but also considering threats from other areas.
I agree with Ray – so now all the hub bub about Nork /nuck winter and food chain ??? yes there would be some issues – but that did not stop the Good old USA from tests. I do not think it would be a EOTWAWNI ( end of the world as …. ) event . Affects yes , and we would have to see what that becomes, does that start a WWIII, that would be for discussion . Yes He needs to be smack as he is a spoiled dictator. Is it coming?? More than likely.
If he does that this gives US every EXCUSE to attack the little fat Asian kid. So, if we don’t then something wrong with OUR side, not theirs.
Regarding damage or killing off of marine life, no one seems to be mentioning that a good part of the Pacific Ocean is already full of dead zones, where everything has been dying off or has died off since the Fukushima disaster. And the radiation from that event has long since circled the globe many times over. The various die-offs that we keep reading about on the west coast, which we keep seeing blames on global warming, are obviously from the huge amounts of radiation still spilling into the Pacific from those nuclear reactors, and which no one has yet come up with anywhere near a viable plan to contain. To avoid totally killing off our fishing industry, instead of warning people of the radiation in the fish they are still sold, our govt just raised the acceptable amount of radiation that can be in fish. The EPA has removed a good number of radiation detectors or quit monitoring them across the nation, because the radiation levels even far from the west coast were high enough they were afraid of panic if the public were told the truth. So, to avoid lying, they just don’t check it anymore. (Or so they say.) The rates of still births, spontaneous abortions and mutations on the west coast has gone up since within about a year of the initial disaster.
In essence, although Japan would probably love to be able to blame N Korea for any ecological damage, the Pacific is in such bad shape that I’m not really sure how much worse one relatively small test could make it.
Anyone who buys wild caught fish that was caught in the Pacific Ocean is playing Russian Roulette, except there is more than one live bullet in the chamber. And fish grown on “fish farms” are so nasty and disease ridden they are not a viable substitute due to the filthy way most of them are raised.
http://www.nola.com/military/index.ssf/2017/10/air_force_denies_its_consideri.html
“Air Force denies it’s considering Cold War-style alerts for B-52 bombers”
Posted on October 23, 2017 at 7:56 PM
Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana. (The Times-Picayune file photo)
Just know that it can always get worse. For example, you could die of cancer from not wearing sunscreen.