If 2023 is the year the world starts to collapse, scientists think they know where you should head to survive.
The Doomsday Clock has moved the closest to global catastrophe it has ever been - largely because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and also the climate crisis.
Now, researchers say Australia and New Zealand are among five island nations most likely to survive an apocalyptic nuclear winter.
The study, by the University of Otago and Adapt Research in New Zealand, looked at the impact of "a severe sun-reducing catastrophe" such as a nuclear war, super volcano or asteroid strike on global agricultural systems.
Researchers found Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu most capable of continuing to produce food despite the reduced sunlight and fall in temperatures - and help reboot a collapsed human civilisation.
They investigated the impact of abrupt sunlight reduction scenarios (ASRS) on 38 island nations and assessed 13 factors which would potentially determine the success of their survival.
These included comparing the nations' food production, energy self-sufficiency, manufacturing, trade relations, social cohesion, defences and population size.
"There will likely be pockets of survivors around the planet in even the most severe ASRS," the study said, with only the most "resilient" nations surviving.
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They focused on New Zealand as a case study and found while it might be able to produce enough food in such a crisis, its "shortcomings" lay in manufacturing and its dependence on energy imports.
Researchers also found the repercussions of a nuclear winter or other ASRS would not be evenly felt, with physical destruction, radioactive contamination and temperature decline most likely to occur and be the most severe in the Northern Hemisphere, rather than the Southern Hemisphere.
The researchers concluded: "It is our hypothesis that island nations, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere, would typically suffer less from ASRS. Complex technological society on such islands might persist, and targeted preparation could increase the probability of a global recovery."
The research has been published in the international journal, Risk Analysis.
A nuclear winter is said to be what happens when huge fireballs from exploding nuclear warheads set fire to large tracts of land, causing massive plumes of smoke and dust that end up in the atmosphere, shrouding the surface of the planet. While millions would die in a nuclear apocalypse, millions more would perish from the impact on food supplies.
FAQs
Researchers found Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu most capable of continuing to produce food despite the reduced sunlight and fall in temperatures - and help reboot a collapsed human civilisation.
Where is the best place to survive a nuclear winter? ›
Australia and New Zealand best placed to survive nuclear apocalypse, study finds. The lucky country can count on one more piece of good fortune, with researchers finding Australia – followed by neighbour New Zealand – best placed to survive a nuclear winter and help reboot a collapsed human civilisation.
What do you need to survive a nuclear winter? ›
Make sure you have an Emergency Supply Kit for places you frequent and might have to stay for 24 hours. It should include bottled water, packaged foods, emergency medicines, a hand-crank or battery- powered radio to get information in case power is out, a flashlight, and extra batteries for essential items.
Would the southern hemisphere survive nuclear winter? ›
Because nuclear blasts would have destroyed much of the ozone layer, greater quantities of solar radiation would reach the Earth's surface. The Southern Hemisphere wouldn't experience major climatic change.
What countries are most likely to survive a nuclear winter? ›
By analyzing crop models under “nuclear winter” conditions, estimates of food calorie supply and an array of resiliency factors they assessed 38 island nations. New Zealand, Australia, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands came out on top, along with Iceland on the opposite side of the world.
Where is the safest place to live nuclear? ›
Some estimates name Maine, Oregon, Northern California, and Western Texas as some of the safest locales in the case of nuclear war, due to their lack of large urban centers and nuclear power plants.
How far underground to survive nuclear winter? ›
BUILD UNDERGROUND
A fallout shelter needs to protect you from radioactive particles and blast impact: compacted dirt is great at both. Building down to a depth of about ten feet will provide ample protection, but any deeper makes it hard to dig out in the event of a collapse.
Where is the best place to live in the US if there is a nuclear war? ›
Parts of California, Florida and Texas that are away from their big cities like San Francisco, Miami and Houston are ideal because they are near water and have good weather. 'If you're near water you will always be near food and water that can be ingested after it has been desalinated,' said Ragusa.
How to make your house nuclear proof? ›
Seal all windows, rooms and air vents in one room with 2-4 mil. thick plastic sheeting and duct tape. You might want to measure an duct the plastic sheeting in advance to save time. Cut the plastic sheeting at least six inches wider than the openings and label each sheet.
What food would survive a nuclear winter? ›
The study, published earlier this month by Earth's Future, found that seaweed will likely survive nuclear winter and could make a good food source. If society ever collapses because of nuclear war, survivors can live off of the resilient seaweed that gets left behind, a new study says.
A type of wheel-shaped microscopic animal called bdelloid rotifers also have been found to be extremely resistant to radiation. So have tardigrades, also known as water bears or moss piglets. Some fish, like goldfish or the mummichog, are quite hardy when it comes to withstanding radiation.
Would solar panels work in a nuclear winter? ›
The short answer is solar panels will probably get zapped by a nuclear EMP, because the wires they're connected to will cause extremely high voltages to backfeed into them. But there are ways to protect solar panels from an EMP, so don't lose all hope yet.
Where is the best place to survive nuclear winter? ›
Researchers found Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu most capable of continuing to produce food despite the reduced sunlight and fall in temperatures - and help reboot a collapsed human civilisation.
What country is most likely to survive an apocalypse? ›
Researchers created a "shortlist" of five nations most likely to survive the apocalypse. The list includes New Zealand, Iceland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland.
Can humans survive nuclear winter? ›
Indeed, nuclear winter may be one of the most far-reaching public health crisis scenarios. Furthermore, whereas there may be no surviving a direct hit from a nuclear weapon, there is significant potential to survive nuclear winter, especially if preparations are made in advance.
How long would nuclear winter last after a nuclear war? ›
How Long Would a Nuclear Winter Last? No one knows for sure how long the aftermath of a nuclear winter would last. It is projected that a nuclear winter would last anywhere from a few weeks to a few years or, in the worst-case scenario, a decade or more.
How cold would a nuclear winter be? ›
These thick black clouds could block out all but a fraction of the Sun's light for a period as long as several weeks. Surface temperatures would plunge for a few weeks as a consequence, perhaps by as much as 11° to 22° C (20° to 40° F).
How many nukes will it take to cause a nuclear winter? ›
A nuclear war using as few as 100 weapons anywhere in the world would disrupt the global climate and agricultural production so severely that the lives of more than two billion people would be in jeopardy from mass starvation.
