Has there been a time in history when humanity was on the brink of extinction?

Let me tell you that you are probably alive thanks to this man.

Stanislav Petrov

he was a Soviet lieutenant colonel, barely around 30 years old at the time, one day the most important radar in the country, OKO, which in Spanish translates as “EYE”, detected a nuclear launch from the United States, followed a few seconds for another 5 more missiles.

Since it was the Soviet Union’s radar system to detect nuclear attacks, the entire Soviet staff panicked, a nuclear missile was one thing, but 6 strategically well-placed atomic hits would leave the Soviet Union in dust.

Automatically the counterattack of the Soviet Union was ordered, to launch nuclear missiles at the United States while there was still time, the nuclear war had begun.

But the most senior person in charge of the designated nuclear shuttle, Stanislav Petrov, had his doubts. He thought the radar was failing.

Then General Secretary Yuri Antropov called him on the phone and said: Drop nuclear missiles NOW, to which Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov replied: NO.

You probably don’t even have an idea of ​​the pants he had to have to say that, disobeying an order is unforgivable and even more so in those days. There was a 50% chance, Lieutenant Colonel Petrov against the OKO radar.

The general in charge of the KGB (The State Security Committee) called to threaten him, but Petrov refused to shoot, it turns out that OKO the radar had failed, Petrov’s hunch was true.

Stanislav Pretov was undoubtedly one of the greatest heroes of the 20th century.