/sci/ - Science & Math

>>16171274
i just had to throw in the caveat stuff because nuclear war under current strategic doctrines wouldn't come even close to wiping out humanity, but it's conceivable that a country might want to build something that could conceivably wipe out humanity as a deterrent. it's the dr. strangelove scenario, and what terrified kubrick is that it can be a rational play to win the game of chicken under game theory. the USAF considered stuff along those lines in the past, like the 8-gigaton doomsday orion that could annihilate the soviet union in the event of a successful nuclear strike against the united states.
if you have a world war on that scale, then it'd be extremely hard for mars to not be involved and mars wouldn't have defense systems nearly as comprehensive as earth nations.
not saying any of this is likely to happen, i think it's extremely unlikely to happen. but it's just an explanation for why i don't think colonizing mars is a very cost-effective way to reduce the risk of nuclear annihilation.