A scientific study provides guidance on where to take shelter in the event of a nuclear disaster, including the worst places to hide.
Published in the journal Physics of Fluids, the study was conducted by scientists Ioannis W. Kokkinakis and Dimitris Drikakis. It specifically examines the damage caused by shock waves resulting from a nuclear explosion. These waves are often powerful and fast enough to lift a person off the ground.
However, the study does not address the effects of radiation, which is a widespread and long-lasting consequence of a nuclear explosion. The report states: “While shielding from a nuclear bomb would be inevitable if you are in the affected area, there are still precautions you should be aware of.”
Using supercomputer simulations, the research team identified locations that are significantly more dangerous than others in terms of shock waves. “The most hazardous areas inside a house include windows, hallways, and doorways,” said Ioannis Kokkinakis. “People should stay away from these locations and immediately seek shelter.”
The best course of action in an emergency, according to the report, is to seek refuge in an enclosed room without windows or even inside a closet.
Notably, it was previously believed that people sheltering inside reinforced concrete buildings could withstand the shock waves from a nuclear explosion. However, the new study has refuted this assumption.
In fact, confined spaces inside rooms and buildings can intensify the speed of shock waves, creating winds strong enough to tear through corners with a force up to 18 times the weight of the human body.
Dimitris Drikakis, one of the study’s authors, emphasized: “Our new research shows that high-speed waves remain a significant danger, capable of causing severe injuries or even fatalities. However, standing inside an enclosed room is still preferable to being in a room with multiple windows and doors.”
Beyond the impact of shock waves, the immense destructive power of nuclear bomb reactions cannot be overlooked. Early nuclear bombs, such as the two dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, operated through a chain reaction of nuclear fission.
Nuclear fission occurs when a neutron interacts with the nucleus of an isotope, such as uranium-235 or plutonium-239. This process splits the nucleus, releasing energy and additional neutrons, which then trigger a chain reaction.
What makes this particularly terrifying is that all of these processes release an enormous amount of energy almost instantaneously—far greater than any conventional explosive.
If a nuclear bomb were to detonate, people in the surrounding areas would have only a few seconds to move to a safe location before a shock wave arrives.
The researchers hope that by improving our understanding of safe shelter locations, potential victims in affected areas may have a better chance of survival in the event of a nuclear disaster.
