A few days ago, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would resume nuclear testing. The statement caused quite a stir, prompting questions, clarifications, and a wave of interpretations.

But Trump’s declaration was likely meant to provoke exactly that kind of reaction – from both his supporters and opponents. The sensible thing, at first, was to wait for details. And indeed, they soon followed.

In the United States, nuclear testing falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy. The next day, Energy Secretary Chris Wright explained that preparing the Nevada site for a resumption of tests would take about 36 months. His tone suggested that, to him, the idea of renewed nuclear explosions was little more than a PR gesture rather than a practical plan. In other words, the Department of Energy was not preparing for any actual tests.

Before going further, it’s worth clarifying what “nuclear testing” really means – and how easily the term can be misinterpreted. A full-scale nuclear test produces a genuine nuclear or thermonuclear reaction, releasing radiation, shockwaves, and other destructive factors associated with a nuclear blast. The power of such explosions is measured in TNT equivalent, from kilotons (thousands of tons) to megatons (millions of tons). For example, a 20-kiloton bomb has an explosive force equal to 20,000 tons of TNT.

Traditionally, nuclear tests involve detonating warheads at designated locations. Underground detonations began in the early 1960s, as awareness grew of the dangers of atmospheric testing. That led to the 1963 treaty banning nuclear explosions in the atmosphere, in space, and underwater. Seismic stations could detect underground blasts from great distances, allowing US analysts to assess the Soviet Union’s tests and even infer the type and purpose of the weapons involved.

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