The advent of the atomic bomb dramatically changed the course of history and, even today, looms as a threat for global catastrophe. From 1956 to 1963, Britain tested nuclear weapons at Maralinga, in South Australia, running hundreds of different experiments. The tests resulted in sickness and death for the local Indigenous populations, yet for many years, the fact these tests took place at all were kept secret from the Australian public.

As northeast Asia teeters on the brink of a conflict that could escalate beyond anyone’s control, it is more important than ever to be well-informed about North Korea, and move beyond the common caricatures of the country and its leader, Kim Jong-un. This is difficult when many misconceptions about North Korea perpetuate in the public consciousness.

With the recent reports that North Korea have the capability to fit a nuclear bomb in an intercontinental ballistic missile, and the tensions rising between Kim Jong-Un and Donald Trump, I began to wonder about just how powerful nuclear bombs actually are. It’s hard to visualise the scale of their power, unless you can put it in terms that you actually understand.