This map shows what your neighborhood would look like if a nuclear bomb hit it

It's, uh, in the realm of possibility.
 By 
Heather Dockray
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

It's 2018, and there's one thing on the back of everyone's minds -- nuclear warfare.

If it isn't, it should be. In January of this year, the doomsday clock moved two minutes closer to midnight because of elevated nuclear warfare risk. The Outrider Foundation decided to take advantage of this uniquely terrifying moment in history and publish an interactive nuclear bomb simulator, allowing users to see how their houses and neighborhoods would be affected if they were hit by a nuclear bomb.

To use the map, simply type in your address and zip code and choose your bomb of choice. The visualization can show you how the large the impact of the bomb might be, how much of your neighborhood would likely be vaporized and how many people might be affected by radiation poisoning -- ya know, all the good stuff.

Here's a sneak peak of what would happen to Times Square:

Via Giphy

The visualization relies on data from Stevens Institute of Technology professor Alex Wallerstein, who created a "Nuke Map" to measure the impact of nuclear war. The Outrider Foundation zeroes in on that data to emphasize people's neighborhoods, personalizing the experience for users.

Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

"We'd like to spread the word to as many people as possible, but we are speaking mostly to the average citizen, not nuclear policy experts, not politicians," Tara Drozdenko, who directs Outrider's Nuclear Policy & Nonproliferation program, told Mashable.  "Outrider firmly believes that ordinary people need to be more involved in the national and international conversation about nuclear weapons.  We are hoping to inspire more people to engage on this issue.  We have additional resources on our website that outline what you as an individual can do about nuclear weapons."  

If only someone could get these maps over to Donald Trump, maybe he'd stop insulting the leader of North Korea on Twitter.

Topics Politics

Mashable Image
Heather Dockray

Heather was the Web Trends reporter at Mashable NYC. Prior to joining Mashable, Heather wrote regularly for UPROXX and GOOD Magazine, was published in The Daily Dot and VICE, and had her work featured in Entertainment Weekly, Jezebel, Mic, and Gawker. She loves small terrible dogs and responsible driving. Follow her on Twitter @wear_a_helmet.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
How online prediction markets got people betting on nuclear war
A collage shows a prediction market screen, an image of a detonated nuclear bomb, and Polymarket's logo

Verizon outage map: How to check your area
Hands hold a mobile phone

Snapchat adds Arrival Notifications to help users feel safer
Phone screen showing the Snap Map on a yellow background.

Pornhub's U.S. Valentine's Day map is extremely telling
hand holding phone with pornhub logo

Your Netflix app is going to change as the company competes with Instagram for your attention
netflix logo on an app on a phone screen

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!