From: tkoenig@netcologne.de   
      
   johnny1a.again@gmail.com  schrieb:   
      
   > Hypothetically, imagine a starship comes across a human-inhabited,   
   > Earth-like world, on which the former cities and centers of   
   > civilization have been heavily nuked.  Assume it's been at least   
   > decades since the bombs fell.   
      
      
   > My question is, what if any signs would differentiate the results   
   > of a big, world-wide nuclear exchange by locals on the planet, Cold   
   > War style, from a space-based bombardment carried out by outside   
   > forces?  Would there be anything that would strongly indicate one   
   > scenario over the other?   
      
   It is probably easier to disprove a local exchange than an   
   off-world one.   
      
   First, ask the survivors (if any) and check records (if existing).   
      
   Second, check for the level of technology. Could the inhabitants have   
   done this to themselves?  Are there traces of nuclear launch bunkers,   
   Uranium mines etc?  Are there nuclear power stations?  Military   
   airports?  Some SSBN with empty tubes left beached after it surfaced   
   and its crew scattered?   
      
   If you have FTL travel, bring a really big telescope and fly out to   
   watch the events.   
      
   Also, is there a specific reason why off-worlders would use nukes?   
   They might just drop asterioids (see Footfall).   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)