On 26 September 1983, the Soviet nuclear warning system detected up to 6 incoming nuclear missiles fired from the United States.
It was a time of heightened tensions during the Cold War following the downing of Korean Airlines Flight 007 by the Soviet Air Force earlier that same month.
Lieutenant colonel Stanislav Petrov was on duty that day, and he had a choice to make.
Either he reported the incoming missiles to his superiors and risk the onset of nuclear war, or do nothing on the assessment that the early warning system was malfunctioning.
He chose the latter option, a decision that is now recognised as having averted a global nuclear catastrophe.
Later investigations revealed that the false alarm was caused by a rare alignment of sunlight on high-altitude clouds.
Ironically, despite having made the right call, in the wake of the incident Petrov was reprimanded by his superiors. In 2006, Petrov was honoured by the United Nations for the role he played in what became known as the 1983 Soviet nuclear false alarm incident.
Its safe to say that everyone alive today has Mr Petrov to thank.
