Why is it so hard to build a nuclear bomb?
1,309Tehran will still have to wait for its atomic bomb. On June 13, Israel launched a series of strikes on several nuclear facilities in Iran. The goal: to delay Iran's nuclear program, which is close to developing the country's first atomic bomb. But if the technology dates back to World War II, why has Iran still not managed to acquire it? Video explanations.
⏰ Summary
0:00 - Introduction
0:33 - Uranium: The First Ingredient
1:15 - How to Enrich Uranium
2:10 - Plan B: Plutonium
2:36 - The Chain Reaction
3:28 - An Increasingly Coveted Weapon
4:18 - All That... for a Weapon Never Used
📝 Our articles on nuclear power ►https://www.numerama.com/tag/nucleaire//
📝 Iran-Israel Conflict: Why is building a nuclear bomb almost impossible? ►https://www.numerama.com/tech/1995477-conflit-iran-israel-pourquoi-fabriquer-une-bombe-nucleaire-est-presque-impossible.html.
📝 Israel's Unusual Attack from a Secret Base in Iran Using Explosive Drones ►https://www.numerama.com/tech/1991677-lattaque-hors-norme-disrael-depuis-une-base-secrete-en-iran-avec-des-drones-explosifs.html.
📝 How a Dutch spy destabilized Iran's nuclear program ►https://www.numerama.com/cyberguerre/1607234-comment-un-espion-neerlandais-a-destabilise-le-programme-nucleaire-iranien.html.
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Produced by: Adrien Bouisset
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🔎 Sources (06/20/25):
►Science&Vie - Here's why it's so difficult to build nuclear weapons:https://www.science-et-vie.com/technos-et-futur/voici-pourquoi-il-est-si-difficile-de-fabriquer-des-armes-nucleaires-194040.html.
►IAEA - What is uranium?
:https://www.iaea.org/fr/newscenter/news/quest-ce-que-luranium.
►AFP - Making a nuclear bomb: • La fabrication d'une bombe nucléaire
►Sfen - Can a bomb be made with the uranium used in nuclear power plants? :https://www.sfen.org/vos-questions/peut-on-fabriquer-une-bombe-avec-luranium-utilise-en-centrale-nucleaire/.
►MustKnow - Bonus: Plutonium generation explained in 60 seconds: • Bonus: Plutonium generation explained in 6...
►Sciences Et Avenir - Building a nuclear weapon, from uranium mines to miniaturization:https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/sciences/fabriquer-une-arme-nucleaire-des-mines-d-uranium-a-la-miniaturisation_118762.
►RFI - Israeli attacks in Iran: what impact on the Iranian nuclear program? :https://www.rfi.fr/fr/moyen-orient/20250614-attaques-israéliennes-en-iran-quel-impact-sur-le-programme-nucléaire-iranien.
►BFMTV - Saudi Arabia ready to "acquire" nuclear weapons if Iran does so first:https://www.bfmtv.com/international/moyen-orient/l-arabie-saoudite-prete-a-se-doter-de-l-arme-nucleaire-si-jamais-l-iran-le-fait-en-premier_AD-202309200970.html.
►L'Opinion - When Kim Jong-un rekindles the nuclear debate in Japan and South Korea:https://www.lopinion.fr/international/quand-kim-jong-un-relance-le-debat-sur-le-nucleaire-au-japon-et-en-koree-du-sud.
►Le Grand Continent - The atomic bomb race: what would a world with 17 nuclear powers look like:https://legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2024/05/05/la-course-a-la-bombe-atomique-a-quoi-ressemblerait-un-monde-a-17-puissances-nucleaires/.
►Le Monde - Understanding the threat of nuclear weapons in 10 questions:https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2022/03/04/comprendre-la-menace-de-l-arme-nucleaire-en-10-questions_6116176_3210.html.
►Public Sénat - Attacks by Israel Against Iran - What we know about Tehran's nuclear program:https://www.publicsenat.fr/actualites/international/attaques-disrael-contre-liran-ce-que-lon-sait-du-programme-nucleaire-de-teheran.
►Wikipedia - Nuclear Program:https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programme_nucléaire_de_l'Iran.
►Wikipedia - Nuclear Weapon:https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arme_nucléaire.
►Wikipedia - Uranium Enrichment:https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrichissement_de_l'uranium.
►Wikipedia - Chain Reaction:https://w.wiki/EXUqq
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