The Atlas missile’s 1-megaton warhead size reflects decimal counting, not strategy

Evidence

The burdens of calculation are further reduced by the use of benchmarks to guide decisions. Round numbers often serve this function. Thus, Herbert York (1970) explained that the Atlas missile was designed to be able to carry a 1-megaton warhead in large part because, having 10 fingers, we build our number system on the base of 10. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2564

Categorization

• CANDY: Cold War weapons design driven by our ten fingers is a perfect cocktail-party fact.
• XREF: Echoes the book’s broader theme that arbitrary human cognitive habits shape consequential institutional decisions. — connects to: Total calculation in war breeds a stupidity that undermines technology