By: HISTORY.com Editors

1983

The journal “Science” publishes first academic report on nuclear winter

Published: October 27, 2022

Last Updated: March 02, 2025

Residents of Earth receive a chilling early Christmas present on December 23, 1983, when a group of scientists including Carl Sagan releases a paper titled “Nuclear Winter: Global Consequences of Multiple Nuclear Explosions.” This publication introduces the concept of nuclear winter, a period of global cold and darkness that could result from a nuclear war.

The paper reported the results of modeling which showed that a war in which multiple nuclear weapons were deployed would have profound effects on the Earth’s atmosphere. The central claim was that nuclear explosions could create a cloud of dust, smoke, ash, and debris large enough to encircle the Earth and significantly lower global temperatures, spreading dangerous amounts of radiation. The authors argued that such an event would endanger all life on Earth, writing “when combined with the prompt destruction from nuclear blast, fires, and fallout and the later enhancement of solar ultraviolet radiation due to ozone depletion, long-term exposure to cold, dark, and radioactivity could pose a serious threat to human survivors and to other species.”

The hypothesis of nuclear winter captured imaginations around the world, and the bleak, cloudy, world it describes has since become a go-to setting for dystopian fiction. The paper arrived at a moment of heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union—just a month before, Soviet diplomats had withdrawn from discussions of a potential arms-control treaty after the U.S. stationed nuclear missiles in West Germany—and presented a vivid depiction of the global calamity that these tensions could bring about.

In the years since its publication, however, other scientists have disputed the paper’s hypothesis, with some going as far as to accuse Sagan of anti-war “propaganda.” The exact number of nuclear explosions it would take to cause a nuclear winter, and the exact nature of the damage to the atmosphere and environment, remain topics of debate, but there is no question that any nuclear explosion, and certainly any nuclear war, would result in major damage to our planet and its inhabitants.

Now more than ever, terrorist groups are obtaining nuclear weapons. With increasing cases of theft and re-sale at dozens of Russian sites, it's becoming more and more likely for terrorists to succeed.

7-DAY FREE TRIAL

Commercial-free,

Cancel anytime

Stream Now

Exclusions & terms apply

Timeline

Also on This Day in History

Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on December 23rd

Related Articles

Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol at a benefit for the Brooklyn Academy of Music on November 7, 1984 at Area Nightclub in New York City.

The young New York graffiti artist and Pop Art icon produced more than 150 works together. Critics in the '80s panned them. Now, some sell for millions.

Students Block Gallaudet University

The Deaf President Now! protests thrust disability rights into the national spotlight—and sparked ongoing questions.

How Asian American Women Fought for Garment Workers’ Rights

The 1982 strike led by immigrant women earned better workplace conditions and benefits for New York City’s garment workers.

A person holds up a photo showing the city of Prypiat's main square and the 'Energetik' cultural center before the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, against the same site, now abandoned and overgrown with trees, 2015. (Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

With Chernobyl's nuclear radiation raining down, Communist party officials dithered, delayed and hid the truth. Then they gave residents of nearby Prypiat 50 minutes to evacuate.

About the author

HISTORY.com Editors

HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan, Matt Mullen, Christian Zapata and Cristiana Lombardo.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

Citation Information

Article title
The journal “Science” publishes first academic report on nuclear winter
Website Name
History
Date Accessed
August 07, 2025
Publisher
A&E Television Networks
Last Updated
March 02, 2025
Original Published Date
October 27, 2022

History Every Day

Sign Up for "This Day in History"

Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day! Learn something new with key events in history, from the American Revolution to pop culture, crime and more.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Global Media. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.