Shakur 1

Seattle Shakur

Professor Laursen

Global Citizenship

23 April 2017

Nuclear Blackout

In today's world, many countries including Russia, North Korea, and the United States

have access to nuclear weapons. These countries often threaten each other with nuclear war

whenever things do not go their way. The documentary, "On the Eighth Day," discusses the

possible consequences of nuclear war, and how it will affect the environment. It highlights

studies done on the topic of "Nuclear Winter," tells the audience of the devastation of nuclear

weapons, and shows why people should work together to avoid such catastrophes as the ones that

are caused by nuclear radiation (On the Eighth Day).

One topic that is highly talked about in the documentary is "Nuclear Winter." This is

when radioactive clouds from nuclear weapons are so dense that they will cover the sky, leaving

the world in complete darkness (On the Eighth Day). The sun would be completely blocked off,

meaning that no plants would be able to grow. If this ever happened, animals would not have a

long-lasting supply of food, eventually causing them to become extinct. Without animals and

plants, humans would also have no location to go for food, making them die off as well. The

planet will become a desolate place, all because a few countries decided it would be an excellent

idea to ignite their nuclear bombs.

Studies shown in the documentary prove that "Nuclear Winter" will in fact occur if

nuclear weapons are ever used. One scientist's research shows that a war involving less than one

percent of the world's arsenal of nuclear weapons will cause horrific damage around the globe
 Shakur 2

(On the Eighth Day). Changes in climate would be dramatic, making it nearly impossible for any

living thing to survive. Other scientists used volcanoes to simulate what would happen with a

radiation cloud. A review article in The New York Times does an excellent job at summarizing

the research:

"A researcher at the University of East Anglia has studied the

historical records of major volcanic eruptions - Krakatoa, for

example, in 1883. The eruptions threw clouds of smoke and ash in

the air, which nuclear explosions would do, too. The researcher

found that the volcanic eruptions were followed by widespread

temperature declines, similar to, if less severe than, the declines

that would accompany nuclear winter.

Similarly, a University of Arizona researcher has measured tree

rings, the concentric circles that mark the passage of the years. He

has concluded that the growth of trees was slowed in the same

years as the volcanic eruptions. The smoke and ash resulted in

climatic changes that hurt the trees, even when the volcanic

eruptions were halfway around the world." (Corry)

Overall, the documentary is a fantastic program that educates the public on the real

effects of nuclear war. Few people may know about "Nuclear Winter" and the fact that one must

avoid it, for the sake of all living species on the planet. Leaders of nuclear powerhouses must get

together and discuss how to solve their problems peacefully, instead of threatening to denotate

their nuclear weapons when any issue is raised. That way everyone can continue living in peace

without having to worry about never seeing the sun again.

 Shakur 3

Works Cited
Corry, John. "'Eighth Day,' About Nuclear Winter." The New York Times, 14 January 1985. Web.

23 April 2017.

On the Eighth Day. Directed by Michael Andrews. BBC, 1984. Film.