---

North Korea shocked the world by announcing they have tested a hydrogen bomb, the same type of nuclear weapon powers like the U.S. and Russia have.
A hydrogen or thermonuclear bomb is much more powerful than the atomic variant and is, in fact, a bomb within a bomb. In order to get the fusion process going, an enormous amount of heat is required so an atomic reaction is used.

You see, the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were atom bombs, fission devices that split plutonium atoms and release the remaining energy as an explosion. But, like Xzibit, we heard you like bombs, so we put a bomb in your bomb to give you more bomb. And it worked. The energy release from splitting atoms heats up enough to start the fusion process of smaller hydrogen atoms. This produces an even bigger release of energy. And now you’re caught up to the most destructive weapons in history.

North Korea’s announcement has world leaders conducting emergency meetings and South Korea condemning the action while also remaining skeptical. The estimated yield of Wednesday’s explosion was only 6 kilotons, and it is believed to have been an atomic test. Only time will tell if North Korea has taken their nuclear capability to the next level.
To my friends serving in South Korea and those nearby, be safe.