Nuclear Winter Theorists Pull Back
SINCE 1983, scientists have been bitterly divided over whether a nuclear war is likely to result in a catastrophic global chilling. But the five scientists who introduced the term ”nuclear winter” now acknowledge that they overestimated its severity, and their concession appears to have moderated the longstanding debate.
Scientists say the issues involved are as pertinent to human survival as ever, despite the new friendliness of Soviet-American relations. The strategic nuclear arsensals of both nations remain intact, they note, and could come into play if the current peaceful climate gives way to war.
The techniques developed to predict the effects of nuclear war on climate are also applicable to other climatic predictions, including the possibility that increased carbon dioxide in the air is leading to global warming, theorists say. The nuclear winter scenario is also closely related to the theory that dinosaurs became extinct when a giant meteor hit the earth and threw up a global dust cloud that caused catastrophic cooling.