World Politics4 min(s) read
Doomsday simulation shows what would happen if a Tsar bomba hits New York amid WW3 fears
A Doomsday simulation has illustrated the consequences of the most powerful nuclear bomb ever if it were detonated and hit New York City.
The animation shows what could happen if the Soviet Union's Tsar Bomba, a nuclear weapon that is more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, exploded above America's most populous city.
Although the scenario is hypothetical, it has sparked attention amid tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war and America's conflict with Iran.
Many believe the ongoing international conflicts will lead to a potential World War III.
Expert warns of growing World War III risk following White House shake-up
The warnings come after the republicans suffered a crushing loss at the midterm elections, losing control of both chambers of Congress.
Following the defeat, President Trump appointed Stephen Miller to replace Susie Wiles as White House Chief of Staff.
Miller, one of Trump's most loyal supporters, has been a strong advocate of the 80-year-old's immigration policies and supported the US' war with Iran, which began on February 28.
Following Miller's appointment, Christopher Lee of Foresight Strategic Advisors revealed to Express what the leadership change could mean for global security.
"While I can't give you a specific war plan read, I can tell you from a political perspective the risk has gone up significantly. In fairness, I think the risk went from 25 per cent in 2025 to about 45 per cent with the advent of strikes on Iran that begin in February 2026," he said.
"Now, with a Firestarter in charge of the White House, that risk has gone up to 60 per cent. The only hope we may have is with a Pentagon that simply tells the President no - and they make it stick. Largely because Trump is a shoot first, shoot some more, and then when he's out of bullets, attempt to negotiate kind of President," he added.
What is the Tsar Bomba?
The Tsar Bomba, designated as RDS-220 and also known as "Big Ivan" or "Kuzkina mat", remains the most powerful nuclear device ever constructed and detonated.
The bomb was built in 1961 by a group of Soviet physicists that included Andrey Sakharov, and was created as a demonstration of the Soviet Union's military powers during the Cold War.
On October 30, 1961, a Soviet aircraft piloted by Andrei Durnovtsev carried the bomb to a testing site over Novaya Zemlya, a remote Arctic archipelago.
Around 11:32AM, the weapon was released over Mityushikha Bay and exploded around 2.5 miles above the ground.
The eruption produced a mushroom cloud that rose more than 37 miles into the atmosphere, while the flash was seen from about 620 miles away.
The destructive effects were so shocking that Severny, an uninhabited settlement approximately 34 miles from the blast, was leveled, and buildings more than 100 miles away were damaged.
Simulation shows what could happen if Tsar Bomba struck New York
A YouTube animation has recreated what might happen if a Tsar Bomba were dropped over NYC.
The video begins by describing how the weapon was deployed during its historic test, including the use of a parachute to slow its descent and give the aircraft time to escape.
The narrator said: "If the Tsar bomba were ever dropped on New York, a special parachute would deploy to slow it down, just enough for the plane to escape. As it drops to about 4 km above the ground, sensors inside detect the altitude and send a signal to the detonators."
The animation then shows the weapon detonating above the city, releasing a huge fireball and a shock wave.
"Seconds later, the bomb releases an intense burst of heat hotter than the surface of the sun. And when it explodes, the blast would level nearly all of New York," they added.
Many online users were alarmed by the video and spoke about the power demonstrated during the Tsar Bomba's original test.
One user said: "Keep in mind, when Tsar was tested, they only tested it at 50% capacity because they were afraid of the fallout and how wide the blast radius would be."
Another highlighted the damage caused by the historic explosion, penning: "Just to put it in perspective there were rocks left in the blast zone . Blew out windows hundreds of miles away."
A third added: "Let us all hope something like this never happens, no matter what city or what country."
Although the Tsar Bomba was never used in combat, its 1961 detonation is a reminder of the devastating power of nuclear weapons.