France Nukes the USA

Originally Posted by Kagen4o4

the one screwed up thing about the american government at the time on the atomic bomb was that the scientists told them there was a slight (very very small) chance that detonating one of those things could ignite the oxygen in the air causing a chain reaction that could incinerate the earth. to which the american government replied "do it"
as small as the odds were. thats still a big risk. imagined the scientists biting their fists waiting to see if it would happen

Actually, that thought has always fascinated me. I usually remember that bit of trivia if I happen to be down Los Alamos, New Mexico way. I imagine the physicists kissing their wives good-bye on the morning of the first test then going to stand on a mountainside somewhere and wondering...

The scientific detachment, looking at the blue sky, fluffy white clouds overhead, perhaps hearing the call of a meadowlark...

Waiting under the New Mexico sky...

For the end of the world...

Do you suppose they placed bets among themselves?

[wolf]

Originally Posted by marichiko

Do you suppose they placed bets among themselves?

There were bets placed on the yield of the Trinity gadget.

Fermi won.