Nuclear war would kill over 5 billion people, here's where you're least likely to survive

If a nuclear war broke out between the US and Russia, over 5 billion people would die, according to a new global study led by Rutgers climate scientists that predicts post-conflict crop production.

Global warming to global cooling

It is believed that nuclear war could lead to what is being called a 'nuclear winter.' This is when the detonation of nuclear weapons causes firestorms, the soot from which would block out the sun and result in a global climatic cooling effect.

This would lead to crop decline and a 'catastrophic disruption of global food markets.' As a result, over 75% of the planet would be starving within two years, as reported by Rutgers.

Alan Robock, a Distinguished Professor of Climate Science in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers-New Brunswick and co-author of the study, said:

The data tell us one thing: We must prevent a nuclear war from ever happening.

He continued:

If nuclear weapons exist, they can be used, and the world has come close to nuclear war several times. Banning nuclear weapons is the only long-term solution. The five-year-old UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons has been ratified by 66 nations, but none of the nine nuclear states. Our work makes clear that it is time for those nine states to listen to science and the rest of the world and sign this treaty.

Where are you least likely to survive?

You’re least likely to survive in the UK, US, Germany, France, and China, with the study finding that 90% of Britons could expect to starve to death, as reported by The Times.

On the other hand, you’re most likely to survive in Australia, Argentina, Panama, Paraguay and Haiti, as these countries already grow more resistant crops, like wheat, on mass and they have smaller populations. Robuck said, as per The Sun:

There still would be enough domestic production for them, but you can imagine there will be flotillas of hungry refugees from Asia on their way there.

So it wouldn’t be necessarily peaches and cream just for Australia.

Read more:

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⋙ Kim Jong-un threatens use of nuclear weapons in response to US' 'hostile acts'