Atomic weapon
The detonation of an atomic bomb forming the characteristic mushroom cloud during the Time of Awakening on Vulcan
Anatomic weapon (also known as anatomic bomb,A-bomb,nuclear weapon, or more commonlynuke ornuclear device) was aterm that generallydescribed adevice developed byHumans and other species that utilized theprinciples of either or both ofnuclear fission andnuclear fusion to release massive destructiveenergies. A relatively low-yield atomic weapon could, for example, destroy a small city. The near-ground detonation of a nuclear weapon could produce amushroom-shaped cloud and the subsequentradioactive contamination of the surrounding areas could causeradiation sickness and other health problems. Sufficient use of atomic weapons could also result in a sudden reduction in overall planetary temperatures due toparticulate matter in the atmosphere, called a "nuclear winter". (TNG: "A Matter Of Time";VOY: "Dragon's Teeth", "Friendship One")
Many cultures have used atomic weapons.Vulcans developed and used nuclear weapons widely in the wars leading up to theTime of Awakening around the year 350, devastating their civilization. (ENT: "Awakening") TheTalosian society was effectively destroyed by the use of atomic weapons. (TOS: "The Cage") A jet plane from theUnited States of America on Earth that was sent to intercept theUSSEnterprise in1969 was thought bySpock to potentially have missiles armed with nuclear warheads. (TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday") The planetEkos fired athermonuclear missile at the USSEnterprise in2268. (TOS: "Patterns of Force") Weapons considered by23rd century Starfleet to be "atomic" (possibly atomic bombs) were used in theEarth-Romulan War. (TOS: "Balance of Terror")Elasians used nuclear sidearms. (TOS: "Elaan of Troyius")
The "Fat Man" atomic bomb
Earth, especially, saw both development and use of atomic weapons. Combat usage was at first confined for over one hundred years to only two nuclear weapons used by theUnited States of America onJapan at the end of theSecond World War, including the bomb, code-named, "Fat Man". Because of the weapon's destructive power, though, countless amounts of nuclear weapons were produced and tested (such as atBikini Atoll) between 1945-1990, mostly by theUS and theSoviet Union. (ENT: "Proving Ground")
During this period, which became known as theCold War, mankind was constantly on the brink of self-annihilation through, among other atomic weapon delivery systems,orbiting nuclear devices. (TOS: "Assignment: Earth";ENT: "Carbon Creek") A colloquial phrase during this time was to "push the button", meaning that government powers had the ability to instantly launch nuclear weapons at each other, annihilating civilization in the process, without the population even realizing it until the nuclear exchange had already occurred. Asong of the 1980s expounded upon this notion, stating that, in such a nuclear exchange, the only choice the public would have would be "how many megatons". (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
A detonation of a nuclear weapon in Nevada
Terrans also developed atomic weapons in themirror universe. (ENT: "In A Mirror, Darkly"opening credits)
A nuclear explosion in the mirror universe
Quark,Rom,Nog, andOdo were able to experience a test of an atomic weapon when they were accidentally transported to1947 Earth. There they harnessed thebeta radiation released by an atomic bomb test in theNevada desert to return to the24th century. TheFerengi never tested atomic weapons on their own planet, much less actually used them in combat, and Quark was shocked at the "stupidity" of Humans forpolluting their own planet with atomic testing. (DS9: "Little Green Men")
In the1950s, some Earth powers developed another type of nuclear weapon known ashydrogen bombs. (DS9: "Far Beyond the Stars")
TheThird World War was described as anuclear cataclysm. Six hundred million were killed, most major cities were destroyed, and there were few governments left.Indiana was targeted in2053. (Star Trek: First Contact;DIS: "New Eden") In the aftermath, there was thepost-atomic horror, andradioactive isotopes resulting from the conflict remained in the atmosphere a decade later. But in a great irony,Zefram Cochrane's first successful faster-than-light vessel manned by Humans was launched using the remnants of a nuclear missile. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint";Star Trek: First Contact)
By the mid 23rd century, advances in hull materials technology led to nuclear weapons losing their tactical significance in ship-to-ship combat.Romulan Birds-of-Prey employed them solely as self-destruct devices, and such a warhead detonated point blank in front of astarship without shields raised, caused relatively light casualties as well as temporary electrical disruption. (TOS: "Balance of Terror") Against a seriously damagedConstitution-class starship, with only secondary systems operative, a single hit from a 20th centurynuclear missile could cause severe damage. (TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday") Low-yield nuclear weapons were still used, such ascobalt bombs, which produced an explosion 1/10,000th of the yield of an ounce ofantimatter. (TOS: "Obsession")
Until theEnterprise's2259discovery of theKiley usingwarp in the form of awarp bomb,Science Officer Spock stated that not once in the entirehistory offirst contact had warp been first developed as anything but adrive. Spock compared it toinventing the nuclear bomb beforeparticle physics; that it could happen but it simply never had. (SNW: "Strange New Worlds")
Appendices[]
Background information[]
According toDaniel C. Carlson andHarry Doddema, who provided the name for the Vulcan materialvokaya, it was formed in the planet's nuclear wars, similar to the Earth mineraltrinitite.
Related topics[]
Apocrypha[]
In the gameStar Trek: 25th Anniversary, some time in the1260s a conflict between two rival societies, thecapitalist-like Lucrs and theCommunist-like Sofs, led to a war with atomic weapons which devastated their planet, Alpha Proxima III.
External links[]
- Nuclear weapon atMemory Beta, the wiki for licensedStar Trek works
- Nuclear weapon atWikipedia
- Nuclear explosive atWikipedia