>>>> According to Wikipedia, the nuke generates gamma rays, these shred the
>>>> Earth's atmosphere and produce current, and the Earth's magnetic field
>>>> directs this current towards the ground. (Depending on where in the
>>>> world you are. Apparently the USA has a field alignment which makes it a
>>>> particularly suitable target to hit.)
>>> Could be I suppose. Wouldn't that imply that if your PC is fried by a nuke
>>> due to EMP, you wouldn't be far behind (since if gamma rays cause EMP, your
>>> DNA'd be shredded too by them... right along with your electronics based
>>> friend.)
>> No - because the gamma rays have all been turned into heat and
>> electricity and filtered out by the Earth's atmosphere. (There's
>> actually quite a lot of gamma rays out there, all the time. And cosmic
>> rays, which are even higher energy. They just never reach the ground.)
>> The electric current, however, is *not* stopped by the atmosphere...
> 
> What I found most interesting in that wikipedia article (which is an uncommonly
> good one) was that this widespread EMP effect is almost zero for very low
> altitude airbursts or ground detonations, and is most effective at
> nearly-orbital altitudes. Which means that a pivotal scene in the movie "Broken
> Arrow" is particularly impossible. :)

Also, as I mentioned, millions of films seem to assume that an EMP only 
affects devices which are turned on. (E.g., War of the Worlds, only one 
working car because it wasn't turned on. WTF? Then again... War of the 
Worlds. WTF?)

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