For the survivors of a nuclear war, this lingering radiation hazard could represent a grave threat for as long as 1 to 5 years after the attack. Predictions of the amount and levels of the radioactive fallout are difficult because of several factors.

How long does it take for a nuclear fallout to go away?

Fallout radiation decays relatively quickly with time. Most areas become fairly safe for travel and decontamination after three to five weeks.

Can you survive nuclear fallout?

Today's nuclear weapons are devastating nightmares, but people can and do survive even when they are close to the bomb's blast radius. Japanese man Tsutomu Yamaguchi lived through the bombings of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki and died at the age of 93.