Health effects of nuclear weapons and releases of radioactive materials

Abstract The discovery of nuclear fission just before World War II led to the development and use of nuclear weapons, ending the war. The world has never been the same since. Nuclear weapons have enormous destructive power related to effects of blast, thermal radiation, direct ionizing radiation, and the release of large quantities of radionuclides. The effects of exposure to radiation are well recognized and the mere use of the words, nuclear and radiation, cause fear. Hence, an effort to control the proliferation of nuclear weapons is at the center of international politics. Our collective scientific knowledge of the effects of radiation exposure from external sources and internally deposited radionuclides exceeds that available for any other toxicant. This chapter reviews our knowledge of the effects of nuclear weapons and dispersed radionuclides as a basis for continued effort to control nuclear weapons proliferation and make science-based decisions on the use of radiation, including the use of nuclear reactors to generate electricity.