Suppose an evil scientist has a teleportation device and 5 atomic bombs, each one only as powerful as the one dropped on Hiroshima. What would be the best targets to create maximum panic to the humanity? Is it possible to cause population decline or make the governments revert to more simpler forms just by the panic alone?
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$\begingroup$ some where well populated would bring in a nice death count for your villian $\endgroup$– XenoDwarfMar 10, 2016 at 9:24
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3$\begingroup$ useful tool for all mad scientists: nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap $\endgroup$– Pavel JanicekMar 10, 2016 at 9:25
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1$\begingroup$ In a movie you'd pick the major landmarks: Paris' Eiffeltower Egypt's pyramids, the White House in the US, New York and of course the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco (it'll never survive the movie anyway) $\endgroup$– ratchet freakMar 10, 2016 at 9:27
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3$\begingroup$ What do you mean "maximum chaos"? Maximum death count? Perhaps it would be more efficient to terrorize people by saying them you already have bombs in ALL major cities, and use the teleport device to "prove" it if necessary. $\endgroup$– enkryptorMar 10, 2016 at 9:40
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1$\begingroup$ This doesn't seem to me to be about building a world. If it is, then please edit the question to clarify how it is, lest this is at risk of being closed as off-topic. See What topics can I ask about here? for some guidance. $\endgroup$– userMar 10, 2016 at 9:46
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1 Answer
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Unfortunately, just exploding a few bombs won't destroy the world. Luckily, you're an evil genius, aren't you. Use your bombs to deceive people, make them destroy themselves.
Scenario one - WWIII
Detonate two bombs in two major nuclear-weapon states. Make them think a nuclear war have started, force them to use their nuclear weaponry on each other. Use your remaining three bombs to tinker the situation if needed.
Scenario two - an ultimate terrorist
For maximum panic you don't actually need to bomb cities. Make people think you can do that any time you want. Show them their lives are no longer protected.
Claim you already have bombs in all major cities and can detonate them at will. Then use your first bomb to destroy a city you didn't choose. Say, bomb a winner of a world championship. Keep your teleportation device top secret, use it to prove your assertion.
Months later, governments are still unsuccessfully searching for your bombs, they lost people's trust, people are scared, panic is spreading through cities, crime rate is rising, all is going out of control.
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$\begingroup$ I don't believe scenario three is actually possible, good answer otherwise $\endgroup$– CiacciuMar 10, 2016 at 10:19
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$\begingroup$ @Ciacciu why? Nuclear propulsion is a real thing en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_(nuclear_propulsion) $\endgroup$ Mar 10, 2016 at 10:27
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1$\begingroup$ You'd need billions of bombs to alter the Moon orbit: quora.com/… $\endgroup$– user8808Mar 10, 2016 at 10:36
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$\begingroup$ But, by the way, you could try redirecting asteroids instead of the Moon, that seem plausible. $\endgroup$– user8808Mar 10, 2016 at 10:47
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$\begingroup$ @enkryptor basically what Roux said, to actually do that you'd need a lot more energy than what is provided by 5 nukes. $\endgroup$– CiacciuMar 10, 2016 at 10:52