The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett Most Replayed Moment: Here's What Happens When A Nuclear Bomb Drops! These Countries Will Be Safe!
130 snips
Jan 16, 2026 
Annie Jacobsen, an investigative journalist and bestselling author, dives into the chilling realities of nuclear war. She graphically details the immediate aftermath of a strike, including catastrophic fires and radiation effects. Jacobsen discusses ways to mitigate this threat through leadership and policy, emphasizing public pressure's role in preventing escalation. She also highlights regions like New Zealand and Australia as potential safe havens. The conversation blends urgency with hope, questioning the inevitability of catastrophe and urging a culture of cooperation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Immediate Horror Of Large Thermonuclear Blasts
- A one-megaton thermonuclear blast creates a fireball and instant infernos across miles, followed by mega-fires that merge into vast conflagrations.
- Annie Jacobsen explains that repeated strikes produce hundred-square-mile fires leading into nuclear winter and global climate collapse.
Death Toll Extends Far Beyond The Blast
- A large-scale U.S.-Russia exchange would kill hundreds of millions immediately and precipitate wider collapse.
- Jacobsen cites Professor Brian Toon’s modeling estimating roughly five billion deaths from ensuing nuclear winter and food collapse.
Few Regions Could Feed The Survivors
- Only a few southern hemisphere nations like New Zealand and Australia could sustain agriculture after nuclear winter.
- Jacobsen cites Professor Toon’s climate models showing most mid-latitude regions become agriculturally unviable.