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Nuclear weapons: who has them and how do they work?

And is a nuclear war likely?

Nuclear weapons have been back in public conversation recently - partly due to rising tensions between Iran and Israel. Outside of the news, they have also been featured a lot in films and TV shows. (Think Oppenheimer and Fallout).

But, what are nuclear weapons? And is it likely they’ll be used again? Or, have we learnt from what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's security correspondent Gordon Corera explains. We also hear from a nuclear studies student in Islamabad, Pakistan, about why young people should care about them.

Plus, Alex Rhodes from the team talks us through some nuclear close calls. This includes how the actions of one Stanislav Petrov could have saved us all.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
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Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Mora Morrison, Alex Rhodes and Maria Clara Montoya
Editor: Verity Wilde

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15 minutes

Last on

Thu 25 Apr 2024 02:50GMT
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only

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    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only

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