Then the USSR detonated the Tsar Bomba. It was the largest nuclear payload in history

The article discusses the development and testing of the Tsar Bomba, the most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated, by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It highlights the historical context of nuclear arms development, including the shift from atomic to hydrogen bombs, and the role of key figures like Andrei Sakharov. The Tsar Bomba was designed to demonstrate Soviet technological prowess, with its test occurring in 1961. Despite its destructive power, it was also a political statement, and concerns about nuclear testing's consequences were raised by Sakharov, who later advocated for nuclear disarmament. The article concludes with the release of archival footage of the test decades later.