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WILL A NUCLEAR “ARMAGEDDON BE THE LAST WAR? (PART 2)

By Arthur Zulu

Let’s say that a full nuclear conflagration is going on right now at North Pole. And let’s suppose you are somewhere in South Pole.

Although you are in antipodes -- far away from scene of nuclear war, you will not escape blast, fire, and radiation. You will be so uncomfortable that you will suddenly find yourself dancing to tune of an maginary symphony.

Now, let’s shift goal post of nuclear action half way around world from artic to equator. Do you think that you will still be dancing?

Imagine nukes now exploding and flying around down under in Antarctica. What will be your fate? Or fate of smallest living things? Or what do you think fire and heat will be doing to ice? Well, your guess is as good as mine.

Thousands in Asia and Europe who suffered nuclear inter when nuclear plant in Chernobyl, Russia leaked accidentally can give you an introductory lesson on nuclear crisis. But lecture may not be complete because those who died from leakage, and who were buried in raised sealed metal graves (to prevent contamination), will not be around to give you postscript.

Now, look at this parade of weapons of mass destruction --5,000 nuclear weapons on hair - trigger alert, 4,000 intercontinental ballistic missiles (2,000 on either side of Atlantic) and 1,000 submarine ballistic missiles, all set, to wreak havoc, at any time!

But United States and Russia are not only countries having these instruments of death. Never mind that weapons have been reduced (new ones are added), and never mind that they have agreed not to aim missiles at each other (it can be reloaded within seconds).

The fact is that apart from traditional five nuclear club nations -- The United States, Russia, Britain, France and China, some rogue states -- Iran, Iraq and North Korea are in possession of deadly weapons. And these rogue states -- axis of evil (apologies to George Bush Jr.) cannot be trusted, (no wonder U.S. has donned a nuclear umbrella to catch falling “evil” missiles).

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CAN ASTEROIDS DESTROY THE WORLD?

By Arthur Zulu

“So, one day little Gulliver went to Brobdingnag, country of giants”; teacher was telling students. “Suddenly it began to rain and a huge hailstone struck him, and he disappeared to ground.” The children stared at their teacher in wonderment.” Each time he wanted to rise up,” continued teacher,” more hailstones sent him down. This continued till Glumdalclitch, his keeper discovered him and dug him out.” End of story. The relieved students laughed.

That ‘s not a laughing matter. For that scenario some say, will soon be a possibility for earth and its inhabitants. That means that soon we and our children would be having to duck, not hailstones, but on-coming comets from outer space. But when Asteroids -- giants ones, come calling, then play is over.

Dinosaurs know it is not a plaything when gigantic asteroids hit earth. Of course they are not around now to tell us story. Geologists are, however, on hand to point out huge craters dug by falling meteors. There is one in Arizona for sightseers.

Now, asteroids don’t just dig craters. The one that hit Tunguska, Siberia ignited forests and decimated wild life. But that’s just a tip of iceberg.