Testing the US Military’s worst idea

Rods from God.

This is the nickname for a theoretical space weapon, in which large rods of tungsten would be dropped onto Earth based targets.

The idea behind this weapon is that the projectiles would build up enough speed, and thus kinetic energy, which would cause bomb-like destruction on the ground below.

The concept was devised during the Cold War but has faced heavy criticism both logistically and scientifically.

However, it has certainly made its mark on science fiction, both appearing in and being referenced across many media, from TV to video games.

But could it work in practice?

We tested to find out.

Post from Veritasium on August 14, 2025

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