How would a global nuclear war affect our electronics and internet?

Question

Would there be a major power surge / spike? Destroying TVs, computers, etc...some power outages of the past show the vulnerability of an interconnected system. Would the Internet go out since many major hub points would be destroyed? Would telephone service go out as major hub points would be destroyed? Assuming many world capitals are destroyed. What about telephone line spikes?

Answer 1

I am optimist and I firmly believe we won't see the Nuke war in our lifetime! Added, the world becoming more and more mad on the Internet, even those who interested on the Nuke war, would find no time to leave that bloody Internet and trapped forever!

Answer 2

what would be left would be contaminated with radiation. and unusable for 100s of years and as for electronics unless they were specially shielded would not work because the emp (electromagnetic pulse) would have fried there circuits just like the electricity and any car with a computer chip. there is a saying the living will envy the dead. not something to nice to look forward to

Answer 3

If there were to be a nuclear bomb in the US, the radioactiveness would nullify the electric components in homes, businesses, vehicles etc.  We would have no telephone, electricity, computers, internet, radio, trasportation (unless you have a bicycle, horse, or a really old car that does not need anything computerized)

The only type of comunnication would be if you had an emergency power, like solar panels, and a battery, you could then (assuming you had a license) use an ameteur radio, or HAM radio to communicate.

Then you would also have to worry about the radiation burns from the bomb, plant destruction, and the side effects from the nuclear bomb.

I suggest you watch, The Day After,  it is an 80's movie, but it gives a pretty good description about what would happen.

Answer 4

During a global nuclear war I'd be really pissed if I couldn't check my ebay auctions.

-Seriously WTF is with this question?

Answer 5

Yes the would be a major 'spike'.

The first bombs to detonate are 'atmospheric bombs', these produce an EMP ( electro magnetic pulse)  surge of millions of volts, all electronic devices that are switched on and not grounded have their circuits burned out, all electricity sub stations are burned out, all motor vehicles except diesels are rendered useless, all telecommunications (civilian) are rendered inactive.

All of this in the blast area of the bomb, other areas will be OK.

Answer 6

I keep a lot of pencils and paper around, as well as an old manual typewriter. A nuclear war would send us all back to the Stone age so I will at least be able to communicate in writing. If there is a nuclear war, and I don't believe there will be one, you can forget about the Internet and virtually all other means of electronic communication and activity. Our current way of life is too frail, electronically speaking.