What Would Happen If We Nuke The Moon?

The moon has had a profound effect on the Earth and has shaped the entire evolution of the planet since it was formed 4.5 billion years ago after a planetoid crashed into the Earth. The moon has been there in orbit ever since pulling on the oceans and seas, creating a tidal bulge, and literally stirring life into creation. So what if we nuked it?

Blowing up the moon would have some dire consequences for our planet, somewhat like the film Oblivion where aliens decide the best way to take us out is to destroy the moon.

You might not know this, but Russia and the United States both had plans to nuke the moon. Back then the political and cultural tensions between the United States and Russia made such desperate plans seem almost reasonable. In 1958, the Armour Research Foundation developed a plan to nuke the moon with guidance from the United States Air Force.