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mrobyesterday at 8:41 PM1 replyview on HN

To complete the analogy, it's like nukes, except we don't have the slightest idea how to calculate the odds of it igniting the atmosphere. (And note that in reality, while the Trinity test "ignite the atmosphere" calculations were correct, we failed to correctly calculate the fallout of the Castle Bravo test with lethal consequences).


Replies

chasd00yesterday at 8:56 PM

a better analogy with Castle Bravo is that the yield was 2.5x more than expected due to "unforeseen additional reactions" from the design.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Bravo