Amidst the continuous threat to the oil transport route through the Strait of Hormuz, a controversial proposal suddenly appeared: Using nuclear bombs to dig a new channel, completely avoiding this strategic "bottleneck".
According to The Conversation, the idea was reiterated by former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich on social media in March 2026. History shows that this is not a pipe dream.
In the 1960s, the US seriously studied the use of "peaceful nuclear explosions" to dig transcontinental canals, opening new transport routes for global trade and strategy.
This idea arose after the Suez Canal crisis, when Egypt nationalized the vital canal, causing oil and commodity prices in Europe to skyrocket.
In that context, American scientists ask the question: Can nuclear energy create an alternative channel, passing through "friendly territory"?
The strongest promoter was Edward Teller, along with physicists at the Livermore Laboratory. Under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the "nuclear for peace" program was expanded, not only serving electricity but also for super-large projects.
The Project Plowshare project aims to use nuclear bombs to dig canals, open ports, and even exploit gas.
The peak was the proposal to build a "Pan-Atomic channel" in Central America, replacing the Panama Canal, which was considered outdated.
A channel line across sea level - without a wharf system - would allow large ships to pass more easily. To implement it, engineers proposed detonating up to 294 nuclear bombs along the line, equivalent to 166 million tons of TNT.
This number far exceeds the destructive power of Tsar Bomba (the Tsar bomb of the Soviet Union) - the most powerful bomb ever tested.
Two options were studied, one in Panama, one in Colombia. However, the price to pay is enormous: About 30,000 people, including many indigenous communities, will have to relocate.
In addition to the risk of radiation, scientists warn of a less noticed scenario: if the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are connected, the ecosystems will mix for the first time after 3 million years, causing serious biological disruption.
Finally, the project was stopped in the 1970s. Not because of the environment, but due to political and legal barriers, especially the Partial Nuclear Prohibition Treaty, and huge costs.
Today, the idea of using nuclear bombs to dig canals is considered "crazy". But in the context of new technologies such as AI or cryptocurrencies booming, this story is a reminder: Many ideas that were once considered inevitable, ultimately become historical lessons.
And when tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's war have not cooled down, the "nuclear dreams" that were thought to be dead can still unexpectedly return, even if only on paper.
