Season 2 · Episode 1696
The 12-Minute Boom: Why Shelter Isn't Safe Yet
You hear the boom, but the real danger is 70km up. Discover why it takes 12 minutes for shrapnel to finally hit the ground.
My Weird Prompts · Daniel Rosehill
March 28, 202619m 26s
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Show Notes
The explosion overhead feels like the finale, but it's only the beginning. When a ballistic missile is intercepted high in near-space, the resulting debris cloud doesn't just vanish—it begins a terrifying, high-speed descent that can take over a dozen minutes to complete. This episode breaks down the physics of orbital mechanics and atmospheric drag that dictate the critical shelter-in-place window. Learn why the "all-clear" takes so long, how debris spreads across entire regions, and why your instinct to leave shelter after hearing the boom could be a fatal mistake.