How Enrichment Percentages Actually Work for Nuclear Weapons

What do enrichment percentages actually mean? When headlines say Iran has enriched uranium to 60%, most coverage treats these numbers as self-explanatory — but the physics behind them is elegant and deeply strategic. This episode breaks down why 60% enrichment represents roughly 80% of the work needed for weapons-grade material, why 90% is the threshold for practical nuclear weapons design, and whether 100% enrichment has any real-world value. We explore the nonlinear enrichment curve, the concept of prompt criticality, and why breakout timelines from a 60% stockpile can be measured in weeks — not months or years. If you've ever wondered what these numbers actually mean for proliferation risk, this episode gives you the physics and the strategic context.