As long as the relationship between Russia and the West continues to be confrontational, the urgent task will be to stabilize and manage the confrontation. For NATO, this primarily means balancing deterrence and assurance measures to its easternmost allies without entering a new arms race.

4 July 2017

What arguments motivate citizens to demand nuclear disarmament?

A. I. HarringtonE. GheorgheA. Loukianova Fink

Why is the global public so apathetic about nuclear disarmament? To answer this question, this article examines the various arguments made in support of policies meant to rid the world of atomic weapons.

4 July 2017

Nuclear disarmament summits: A proposal to break the international impasse

Kelsey DavenportJ. PuglierinP. Topychkanov

The existing nuclear-disarmament architecture is under considerable stress.

4 July 2017

The future of US–Russian nuclear deterrence and arms control

Tatiana AnichkinaAnna PéczeliNickolas Roth

During the latter part of the Cold War, many strategists thought of nuclear deterrence and arms control as two of the most essential stabilizing elements of the same strategy in managing an adversarial relationship.

4 July 2017

Amid high tensions, an urgent need for nuclear restraint

A. MalyginaS. FikenscherJ. Nielsen

With tensions running high between the United States and Russia, North Korea conducting nuclear tests, and every nuclear-armed nation modernizing its arsenal, the world seems headed toward greater nuclear instability.

rbul20.v073.i04.cover_.jpg

4 July 2017

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Volume 73 Issue 4

4 July 2017

Nuclear foreboding: Shadows cast by nuclear winter

R. Turco

The recollections and reflections of a nuclear winter scientist on the future threat of warfare involving atomic weaponry.

4 July 2017

Europe/Russia

A plausible scenario of nuclear war in Europe, and how to deter it: A perspective from Estonia

J. LuikT. Jermalavičius

The specter of nuclear war in Europe has returned under the regime of Vladimir Putin in Russia. Russia’s large-scale exercises incorporate the scenarios of a limited nuclear strike against NATO as part of Moscow’s “escalation to de-escalate” concept.

4 July 2017

After nuclear midnight: The impact of a nuclear war on India and Pakistan

Karthika Sasikumar

During the past decade, computer models have predicted that the physical impacts of a nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan, or even a single strike on a large city, would be devastating.

4 July 2017

The right planning now will save countless lives after a nuclear attack

D. HanflingF. M. BurkleC. Dallas

The public perception that there is no hope for surviving a nuclear attack has been an impediment to planning for the aftermath of such disasters.

4 July 2017

Introduction: Nuclear disarmament and arms control for the next decade

Ulrich Kühn

The instruments of bi- and multilateral nuclear disarmament and arms control are in a state of despair. Russia and the West have entered a new round of conflict.

4 July 2017

US cities are not medically prepared for a nuclear detonation

Jerome M. Hauer

The United States is not prepared to deal with an attack by a terrorist group using an improvised nuclear device, the author says. It should get prepared, because the risk is real even if the probability is low, and doing so could save a great many lives.

4 July 2017

NUKEMAP creator Alex Wellerstein puts nuclear risk on the radar

Elisabeth Eaves

In 2012, science historian Alex Wellerstein created NUKEMAP, an online tool that lets users pick a place, pick a type of nuclear weapon, and click a red button that says “detonate” to see the devastating results.

4 July 2017

Introduction: Into the aftermath

John Mecklin

In the age of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, the possible use of nuclear weapons has, horrifyingly, crawled from the dustbin of history.

Analysis

29 June 2017

Climate Change

Americas

Trump fact check: Climate policy benefits vastly exceed costs

Dana Nuccitelli

There’s no reason why we can’t craft smart climate policies with tremendous economic benefits that also preserve the climate of the only planet we’ve got.

Analysis

28 June 2017

Nuclear Energy

Asia

No Indonesian market for SMRs

M. V. Ramana

For small modular reactors in Indonesia, the economic and social costs outweigh the potential benefits, compared to alternative energy sources.

Analysis

23 June 2017

Climate Change

The trouble with geoengineers “hacking the planet”

Raymond T. Pierrehumbert

Despite all the hype, geoengineering would not be simple or easy, or a one-time solution, or buy us any time. Instead, geoengineering would be a difficult undertaking that humanity would have to commit to essentially forever—and still not fix the underlying problem. Assuming it even works.

Voices of Tomorrow

21 June 2017

Nuclear WeaponsSpecial Topics