Eric Weinstein

So for years, I've been calling for a return to rare above-ground nuclear tests, which I think Brandon

by the test ban treaty of, what is it, 62?

So it's been over 60 years since we've had above-ground nuclear testing.

And as a result, we've just forgotten what the power of the strong force and the electromagnetic force together is.

It's just astounding.

And just, if I can say from a physics perspective,

would call this su3 cross u1 gauge theory it's just it's a technical thing that leads to engineering abilities that are sort of unthinkable i mean i don't know how to how to put it i don't think we can really think through the effect of thermonuclear weapons on urban centers and the fact that this comes from physics and comes from science even my colleagues in physics are completely disconnected from their manhattan

project colleagues and that ethos.

It was so long in the past that it's sort of like modern Greeks thinking about Ulysses.

There's just no direct connection.

It's some sort of mythological thing.

So anyway, I've been talking about this nonstop.

And until I'm blue in the face, many people are bored of hearing it from me.

But it was always going to be the main issue.

It's worked for 80 years, exactly as you say.

And if you're settled, if you're happy with 80 years, you could even double it to 160 years, which is a drop in the bucket when it comes to geological time, even human time.

So, yes, they make the world much safer in the in the short run, much safer than it's ever been.

So if you like to think in short term thinking, nuclear weapons are the best thing that ever happened to humanity.

You're more likely to not have a world war if everyone is convinced of the calculus and everyone remains rational.

But, you know, this is sort of the whole idea behind playing chicken.