Luke LaManna

But it never came. Petrov opened his eyes. There was no strike. There were no missiles. He had made the right call. Petrov's story illustrates how an ordinary person can make an extraordinary decision. He demonstrated calm, rational thinking in a moment of profound crisis.

But his experience highlights the inherent dangers of systems that rely on human judgment, while also warning against overdependence on technology. Had Petrov blindly followed protocol or unquestioningly obeyed the computer's output, the fate of humanity might have been drastically altered. His decision to question both the rules and the technology potentially saved our entire civilization.

But his experience highlights the inherent dangers of systems that rely on human judgment, while also warning against overdependence on technology. Had Petrov blindly followed protocol or unquestioningly obeyed the computer's output, the fate of humanity might have been drastically altered. His decision to question both the rules and the technology potentially saved our entire civilization.

An investigation later discovered that one of the satellite's sensors had not detected missiles, but rather rays of light reflected off high-altitude clouds. This caused the computers at Serpukhov 15 to mistake the sun's rays for rocket flares. If someone less familiar with the many faults of the computer system had been in charge that night, who knows where the world would be now?

An investigation later discovered that one of the satellite's sensors had not detected missiles, but rather rays of light reflected off high-altitude clouds. This caused the computers at Serpukhov 15 to mistake the sun's rays for rocket flares. If someone less familiar with the many faults of the computer system had been in charge that night, who knows where the world would be now?

The incident at Serpukhov 15 epitomized the dangerous levels of mistrust between the United States and the Soviet Union. Years of Cold War tension had created an atmosphere where even a computer glitch could be misinterpreted as an act of aggression, potentially triggering nuclear war. In communist Russia, the false alarm incident ruined Stanislav Petrov's 26-year career in the military.

The incident at Serpukhov 15 epitomized the dangerous levels of mistrust between the United States and the Soviet Union. Years of Cold War tension had created an atmosphere where even a computer glitch could be misinterpreted as an act of aggression, potentially triggering nuclear war. In communist Russia, the false alarm incident ruined Stanislav Petrov's 26-year career in the military.

Immediately after avoiding catastrophe, he was verbally admonished for not keeping detailed logs that night and held in an isolation bunker for three straight days. But the failure to log wasn't the real reason he was punished. It was his failure to follow protocols, no matter the consequences. The next year, in 1984, Petrov was discharged.

Immediately after avoiding catastrophe, he was verbally admonished for not keeping detailed logs that night and held in an isolation bunker for three straight days. But the failure to log wasn't the real reason he was punished. It was his failure to follow protocols, no matter the consequences. The next year, in 1984, Petrov was discharged.

For 10 years, Petrov and the Soviets kept that fateful night a secret. Word didn't leak out until after the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union dissolved. Russian journalists found Petrov in 1996. He was living a quiet life in an old Soviet tower block. Soon after that, the West caught wind of what had happened in the bunker and Petrov finally started getting the recognition he deserved.

For 10 years, Petrov and the Soviets kept that fateful night a secret. Word didn't leak out until after the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union dissolved. Russian journalists found Petrov in 1996. He was living a quiet life in an old Soviet tower block. Soon after that, the West caught wind of what had happened in the bunker and Petrov finally started getting the recognition he deserved.

The Secretary General of the United Nations would recognize him as the man who saved the world. Petrov was haunted by the false alarm for the rest of his life and by how close he came to making the wrong decision. How everything depended on one decision by one man.

The Secretary General of the United Nations would recognize him as the man who saved the world. Petrov was haunted by the false alarm for the rest of his life and by how close he came to making the wrong decision. How everything depended on one decision by one man.

He told one reporter, one way or another, you still need a person to order a launch of one of these weapons, and a person can always make a mistake. Petrov died on May 19, 2017. He was 77 years old. His Encyclopedia Britannica entry reads, he is survived by his two children, two grandchildren, and the entire human race.

He told one reporter, one way or another, you still need a person to order a launch of one of these weapons, and a person can always make a mistake. Petrov died on May 19, 2017. He was 77 years old. His Encyclopedia Britannica entry reads, he is survived by his two children, two grandchildren, and the entire human race.

Follow Redacted Declassified Mysteries on the Wondery app, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to every episode of Redacted early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at wondery.com slash survey.

Follow Redacted Declassified Mysteries on the Wondery app, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to every episode of Redacted early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at wondery.com slash survey.

From Ballin Studios and Wondery, this is Redacted, Declassified Mysteries, hosted by me, Luke LaManna. A quick note about our stories. We do a lot of research, but some details and scenes are dramatized. We used many different sources for our show, but we especially recommend the books 1983, Reagan, Andropov, and A World on the Brink by Taylor Downing.

From Ballin Studios and Wondery, this is Redacted, Declassified Mysteries, hosted by me, Luke LaManna. A quick note about our stories. We do a lot of research, but some details and scenes are dramatized. We used many different sources for our show, but we especially recommend the books 1983, Reagan, Andropov, and A World on the Brink by Taylor Downing.

The Brink, President Reagan and the Nuclear War Scare of 1983 by Mark Ambinder, and Stanislav Petrov, The Man Who Saved the World by Matthew C. Rivers. This episode was written by Sean Raviv. Sound design by Ryan Potesta. Our producers are Christopher B. Dunn and John Reed. Our associate producer and researcher is Teja Palakanda. Fact-checking by Sheila Patterson.