# Could nuclear weapons be used peacefully?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-nuclear-weapons-be-used-peacefully/76042>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 13, 2001, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-nuclear-weapons-be-used-peacefully/76042 "2001-08-13T15:28:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-nuclear-weapons-be-used-peacefully/76042/21 "2001-08-13T19:48:45Z")

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According to the Federation of Ameican Scientists’ page on [the Soviet Nuclear Weapons Program](http://www.fas.org/nuke/hew/Russia/Sovwpnprog.html), at least one “peaceful nuclear explosion” was used to form a dam and excavate a water reservoir which is “still used to provide water for cattle in the area”. Here’s a picture of [“Lake Chagan”](http://www.fas.org/nuke/hew/Russia/Chagan3.jpg).

No pictures of the cattle, though.

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**Author:** ![Oystaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@Oystaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oystaman)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2001, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-nuclear-weapons-be-used-peacefully/76042/22 "2001-08-13T23:43:54Z")

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I hope they never use it near me or mine.

NIMBY

maybe a good place to do it would be in china’s parliament

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