By Brian Okoth
Of late, there has been talk about the possible use of nuclear weapons in armed conflicts, threats that should not be taken lightly.
In February, a leading global figure warned that his country would not hesitate using nuclear weapons should the nation's sovereignty come under threat.
He was, however, quick to emphasise that he does not think the world was heading for a nuclear war.
The United Nations says nuclear weapons are "the most dangerous weapons on earth."
Can destroy an entire city
The weapons, which are in the form of bombs or missiles, use nuclear reaction to create an explosion.
When the weapon explodes, it produces ear-damaging blast, blinding light, extreme heat, and highly-dangerous radiation.
A single nuclear explosion can destroy an entire city, causing the deaths of millions of people, and permanently affecting the natural environment.
The last time nuclear weapons were used in armed conflict, was in 1945 during World War II, when the US bombed two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Treaties on nuclear armament
More than 140,000 people lost their lives and more than 90% of the houses destroyed, records indicate.
The UN says there are about 13,400 nuclear weapons in the world today, and more than 2,000 nuclear tests done until now.
Due to the known dangers of nuclear weapons, in 1946 the UN formed a commission to curb the use of the weapons in armed conflict.
At least five international treaties against the use of nuclear weapons have since been established, including The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Severe burns
Why are nuclear weapons so dangerous?
An exploding nuclear weapon instantly changes into gas in microseconds, and becomes hotter than the sun's 15-million-degree core. The hot gas then radiates its energy in the form of X-rays, which heat the surrounding air, scientific journals say.
The extreme heat can ignite fires and cause severe burns on human body. The fire from one atomic explosion can intensely burn people as far as 30 kilometres away.
A blast wave caused by a nuclear bomb explosion moves at a speed of thousands of kilometres per hour.
Destroys almost everything
This explosive energy destroys almost everything on its path, including strongly-reinforced buildings.
Though people are relatively immune to blast pressure, the falling buildings and other structures would certainly cause deaths and injuries.
A nuclear explosion produces light, whose brightness is more than six times that of the sun.
This is blinding when directly looked at, and could cause instant visual problems to someone who is even 80 kilometres away.
Ozone layer depletion
Exposure to nuclear radiation can cause lung injuries, internal bleeding, and deadly diseases such as cancer and genetic damage.
When the nuclear bomb explodes, it can produce a deafening sound that causes permanent damage to the ear.
A nuclear explosion can also contaminate food and water, resulting in poisonous edibles.
The long-term effect of a nuclear blast, would be the production of ozone-consuming chemicals. The ozone layer absorbs the sun's ultraviolet radiation.
With a depleted ozone layer, human beings would be exposed to more diseases, and harsh weather conditions.
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