The Most Insane Weapon You Never Heard About

The Terrifying Concept of Project Sundial

In the 1950s, the United States embarked on a top-secret project that aimed to create a nuclear weapon so powerful, it could destroy all of human civilization. Codenamed “Project Sundial,” this endeavor was conceived by the brilliant but controversial physicist, Edward Teller, who was driven by a relentless pursuit of nuclear superiority.

The Rapid Pace of Technological Change

To fully understand the context of Project Sundial, we must first consider the dramatic transformations that were unfolding in the world during that era. Imagine being a 40-year-old in 1945 – you would have been born in 1905, a time when monarchs still ruled over much of the world, only 3% of homes in the US had electricity, and cities were dominated by horses. The first experimental planes had just taken flight, and less than 100,000 soldiers died in war each year.

In the span of just a few decades, this world was turned upside down. By 1945, 24 million soldiers and 50 million civilians had perished in two world wars. Suddenly, there were televisions, microwaves, jet planes, and the unimaginable power of nuclear weapons. This rapid technological progress “broke the brains” of the people alive at the time, as the implications of these new technologies were both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

The Nuclear Arms Race Begins

The introduction of nuclear weapons fundamentally altered the nature of warfare. Without these devastating bombs, it seemed that nations would be trampled by those who possessed them, no matter the size of their armies. This realization sparked a frantic nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union.

In 1946, the US proposed the Baruch Plan, which promised to eliminate their own atomic bombs, share nuclear technology with the world, and establish an international authority to prevent the development of such weapons. However, the military advantage of nuclear bombs was too great to relinquish, and the Soviets detonated their first atomic bomb just three years later, catching the world by surprise.

The Rise of the Hydrogen Bomb

As the nuclear arms race escalated, Edward Teller, a brilliant Hungarian physicist, became increasingly convinced that the existing atomic bombs were not powerful enough. Teller was one of the first to recognize the potential of the fission chain reaction in uranium, and he had helped to build the first atomic bomb. But for Teller, these weapons were not destructive enough.

Teller’s solution was the hydrogen bomb, a weapon so powerful that it required a regular atomic bomb just to trigger it. When the first hydrogen bomb was tested in 1952, it instantly erased a Pacific island from the map. Two years later, an even larger version was detonated, with a yield 1,000 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. The world recoiled in horror, as the concept of “winning” a war became increasingly irrelevant in the face of total human annihilation.

The Doomsday Weapon: Project Sundial

Teller’s ambition, however, was not yet satisfied. He wanted to create a weapon of almost unlimited power, a bomb that would make all other nuclear weapons irrelevant. This is where Project Sundial comes into the picture.

The Concept of Sundial

Sundial was not envisioned as a warhead loaded onto a bomber and dropped on a target. Instead, it would be a “backyard bomb” – a massive, stationary device that could destroy the world without even being moved. The rationale behind this concept was the ultimate deterrence: if you attack us or our allies, we will destroy the world.

According to the limited information available, Sundial would have weighed at least 2,000 tons, the size of a 250-meter-long cargo train. It would have exploded with the power of at least 10 billion tons of TNT, a number so staggeringly large that it’s almost impossible to comprehend.

The Devastating Consequences

Experts have speculated on what the detonation of Sundial would have looked like. For a brief moment, a fireball of pure energy up to 50 kilometers in diameter would have appeared, larger than the visible horizon. This fireball would have radiated blistering heat at the speed of light, instantly setting everything within 400 kilometers on fire – every tree, house, and person.

The blast wave would have been catastrophic, violently shooting the atmosphere above the explosion into space and triggering a magnitude 9 earthquake that would have shaken the United States. The sound of the blast would have reverberated around the world, and the radioactive fallout would have created toxic death clouds that would have shrouded the planet in a dark curtain.

Sundial would have brought about an apocalyptic nuclear winter, where global temperatures would have suddenly dropped by 10°C, most water sources would have been contaminated, and crops would have failed everywhere. Most people in the world would have died.

The Reaction and Concerns

Fortunately, Sundial was never built. When scientists and politicians were secretly informed about the project, they reacted with horror and disbelief. Even the US military considered this level of destruction to be too much, and building Sundial was seen as a crime against humanity.

There were also practical concerns about the use of such a weapon. Would the decision to press the button be made if enemy soldiers crossed a distant country’s borders or attacked a distant base? Would the world be ended if a rival overthrew a friendly government? The lack of flexibility and the all-or-nothing nature of Sundial made it an incredibly risky and impractical concept.

The Doomsday Machine We Built Instead

While Sundial was never realized, the world still found itself in a precarious situation during the Cold War. Instead of a single world-destroying bomb, the superpowers built tens of thousands of nuclear weapons of all types and sizes, hidden in submarines, bunkers, and silos.

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The Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

At the peak of the Cold War, humanity had over 70,000 nuclear weapons, enough to destroy human civilization many times over. Even today, we still have around 12,000 nuclear weapons, a staggering number that highlights the continued threat of nuclear annihilation.

The difference between Sundial and the current nuclear arsenal may not be as significant as it might seem. While Sundial was a single, apocalyptic weapon, the existing nuclear stockpile represents a “doomsday machine” that is arguably just as dangerous. The fear is that if people feel they can risk setting off a smaller nuke, they might actually do so, potentially triggering a chain reaction that could lead to global catastrophe.

The Ongoing Nuclear Arms Race

The world may be on the verge of another nuclear arms race. The United States is on track to spend a trillion dollars on nuclear modernization programs, while China is expanding its arsenal and might have more than 1,000 nuclear weapons ready to be deployed by 2030. So far, we have escaped the existential threat posed by these weapons, but if an alien visited Earth, they might ask us if we are okay and in need of a hug.

The Importance of Responsible Science and Technology

The story of Project Sundial serves as a sobering reminder that science and technology are not inherently good or bad – it is up to us, as a society, to use our sense of curiosity and exploration for something positive.

Fostering a Mindset of Ongoing Exploration

Organizations like KiwiCo are working to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers by providing hands-on learning experiences that nurture a mindset of ongoing exploration and problem-solving. Their Maze Arcade Kit, for example, teaches kids about the intersection of mechanics and physics in a playful and intuitive way, helping to develop critical thinking and STEM skills from an early age.

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Kurzgesagt’s Mission to Inspire and Educate

At Kurzgesagt, we believe that by sharing knowledge and fostering a deeper understanding of the world around us, we can inspire people to make informed decisions and work towards a better future. Our carefully researched infographic posters, such as those on Evolution, Black Holes, and the Night Sky, are designed to educate and engage people in a visually compelling way.

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The Most Insane Weapon You Never Heard About – Embracing the Positive Potential of Science

The story of Project Sundial serves as a stark reminder of the potential for science and technology to be used for destructive purposes. However, it also highlights the importance of responsible and ethical scientific exploration, where the pursuit of knowledge is balanced with a deep consideration for the well-being of humanity and the planet.

As we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, we must remain vigilant and committed to using our capabilities to create a better world, rather than one on the brink of annihilation. By fostering a culture of curiosity, critical thinking, and a deep respect for the consequences of our actions, we can harness the positive potential of science and technology to improve the human condition and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.