[ELI5] What is “nuclear winter?” And if we can cause a winter-like reaction in our atmosphere, could it potentially counter global-warming?

Question

[ELI5] What is “nuclear winter?” And if we can cause a winter-like reaction in our atmosphere, could it potentially counter global-warming?

In: Physics

Answer 1

Nuclear Winter is what happens when some form of explosion (Super Volcano, Asteroid Impact, Nuclear War) blow enough material into the atmosphere that a thick cloud covers the whole Earth and blots out the sun. It doesn’t just lower the temperature a few degrees, it freezes the world, and completely shuts down photosynthesis. This is what is thought to have actually killed the dinosaurs, rather than the heat from the actual impact. The problem with climate-change (the better word since global warming, as shown in the questions existing, misrepresents what the actual problem is) is not that the world will become to hot to live on, it’s that it will massively alter the climate we depend on for food. Likely all our crops will no longer be sustainable, which is the problem. Nuclear Winter is just that but worse.