Why didn't EMP take out Las Vegas?
There were over 300 tests performed by the US overall. Most in the Pacific, but some in the South Atlantic, in New Mexico, and the Nevada site I mentioned before. There was only one mention of EMP in the program, and it was in conjunction with a 30 MT (or so) shot in the Pacific, and it was noted as effecting a large area, but not that it was catastrophic. It just seemed to be a nuisance.
“There were over 300 tests performed by the US overall. Most in the Pacific, but some in the South Atlantic, in New Mexico, and the Nevada site I mentioned before. There was only one mention of EMP in the program, and it was in conjunction with a 30 MT (or so) shot in the Pacific, and it was noted as effecting a large area, but not that it was catastrophic. It just seemed to be a nuisance. “
There is definitely some debate. Even the testing done on this show (on the thread) only claimed 10% of cars get wiped out, if I heard it right.
But what can you do - at least Newt talked about an EMP. I only wish someone would detonate one away from our mainland, say near Hawaii - and we could find out once and for all what the threat is.
Because in 1965 or the 1961 Starfish test, no-one used microcircuits that are much more vulneralble than the tubes we used back then.
Microcircuits are used to control the water and sewage pumping stations today. Microcircuits are used to control the power grid.
Starfish was 600 miles away from Hawaii.
Telephones were controlled by rotary relays back then. Today, it's sensitive computers.
So sensitive in fact that people that work on them wear wrist straps to drain off static electicity. That little spark in winter when you scuff your feet across the carpet and touch the doorknob can ruin a computer.
/johnny
I love that film. My wife hates it.