Survival after nuclear winter: Scientists identify five nations that could endure

A new study from the University of Otago in New Zealand paints a chilling picture of the world after a nuclear war, but it also offers a glimpse of hope for a handful of countries.

Published in the journal Risk Analysis, the research suggests that only five nations may have the chance to survive the catastrophic consequences of nuclear winter, according to Caliber.Az.

The crux of the survival equation lies in agriculture, or more specifically, the ability to produce food after a nuclear conflict. A nuclear explosion would unleash an estimated 150 teragrams of soot into the atmosphere, obscuring the sun for years and dramatically reducing agricultural output. This decrease — around 80% — would make survival nearly impossible for the people of the northern hemisphere, where much of the world’s food supply is grown.

However, scientists believe that certain island and peninsular nations, far from the nuclear fallout, might have a chance to weather the storm. Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands are identified as the five countries that could potentially endure the aftermath of a nuclear winter.

In a related finding, researchers have explored an unexpected source of hope: seaweed. Scientists have suggested that seaweed plantations might provide a lifeline for humanity in the event of such a global catastrophe. They focused on the red seaweed Gracilaria tikvahiae, which could survive in the harsh conditions of a nuclear winter. Using available data on the expected climatic changes, researchers built a model to predict how these resilient plants could thrive even in the darkness of a soot-filled atmosphere.

The study theorizes that in the aftermath of a full-scale nuclear exchange, the sky would be blocked by 150 million tonnes of soot, plunging the Earth into a prolonged period of darkness. While sunlight would be scarce, it would still be sufficient for seaweeds to undergo photosynthesis, even with the black carbon in the air, providing a critical food source for survivors.

By Tamilla Hasanova