10 Of The Most Powerful Nuclear Bombs Ever Detonated – SlashGear

While the Soviets were by far the most prolific builders of very high-yield atomic bombs, the U.S. efforts during the same era also produced plenty of alarmingly powerful weapons. The largest of those to be detonated was Castle Bravo, although it wasn’t designed to be anywhere near as powerful as it turned out to be. Detonated on March 1st, 1954, it was the first bomb constructed with “dry” isotope, and predictions for its power ranged between five and six megatons. However, upon detonation it proved to be much more powerful, generating 15 megatons. The unexpected power of the bomb turned out to have far-reaching consequences, including exposing residents of the Marshall Islands, where it was tested, to intense radiation.

Studies have shown that the Castle Bravo bomb was responsible for the majority of radiation poisoning the islanders suffered, even though many other bombs were also detonated there over the American testing program. This caused an increased rate of cancer and birth defects among the exposed, with the effects still being documented to this day. A Japanese fishing boat was also caught up in the fallout, causing a diplomatic incident between the two countries. Despite the international backlash, the incident didn’t deter U.S. defense chiefs, who would continue atmospheric tests for nearly a decade after the Castle Bravo test.