atomicbell

Former Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and Chicago Public Media CEO Melissa Bell are joining the Bulletin for our annual gathering, Conversations Before Midnight, on November 12th in Chicago. Learn more here: buff.ly/EEVouPN

Bulletin president and CEO Alexandra Bell @atomicbell.bsky.social discusses concerns surrounding nuclear policy and other existential threat issues that factored into the 2026 Doomsday Clock conversation. ⬇️

When Matt Smith asked four different chatbots if he could buy everything needed to build a lethal, self-guided drone, they all had the same answer: yes. They even provided a shopping list. But as Smith writes, the process was "stranger than expected."

81 years ago today, on August 9, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped upon the city of Nagasaki, Japan, by the United States. This was 3 days after the first atomic attack on Hiroshima.

"Leaders shouldn’t just talk about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They should visit," by Alexandra Bell @atomicbell.bsky.social.

New START, the last US-Russia nuclear reduction treaty, expired 6 months ago today. It appears that absolutely nothing has been done to put guardrails back around the two largest nuclear arsenals in the world. Washington and Moscow's dereliction of duty threatens the entire planet.

Thrilled to finally share the great news that Sharon Weinberger is joining the @thebulletin.org as our next Editor-in-Chief! thebulletin.org/2026/08/the-...

A small embarrassment in a sea of larger ones, but still...

Is Oppenheimer, WALL-E, The Matrix, or 28 Days Later the best doomsday movie? After a series of head-to-head matches, Bulletin readers have voted on the final four. Which will win? Comment which movie is your favorite on Instagram to be entered into a giveaway: buff.ly/HftgAvE

Join the Bulletin on Wednesday for a discussion of "Doomsday on Film" with @maxbrooks.bsky.social @dandrezner.bsky.social and @eliserowan.bsky.social Register here: pages.thebulletin.org/2026-0729-en...

“Move fast and break things is not a suitable motto for any conscientious military organization.” Read more in a new investigative piece from Bernice Yeung "The rise of the military-technology complex"

AI defense tech contractors have notably increased their spending on political influence, according to a new Bulletin analysis. Between 2022 and 2024, nine trailblazing AI companies nearly doubled their campaign contributions to the members of Congress who control Pentagon policy.

"Harrowing" @thebulletin.org article mentioned in a recent NYT op-ed www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/o...

Meeting at the Vatican, a historic assembly of Nobel laureates, scientists, and religious leaders warned that the "AI-nuke nexus" is rapidly eroding human control over existential decisions—urging world leaders to halt dual arms races and calling on the public to mobilize before control is lost.

Today marks 81 years since the first detonation of a nuclear weapon on July 16, 1945: the Trinity test. Here's a selection of Bulletin articles examining the event and its wide-ranging impact.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists asked me to write about 13 films that I thought were essential to understanding the nuclear age… and so I did! And now I am ready for everyone to tell me how wrong I am to have missed their favorite film, which is understandable. thebulletin.org/premium/2026...

Former National Security Council senior director Paul Friedrichs warns about the lack of guardrails on artificial intelligence development in the United States.

The Bulletin's July magazine delves into movies on existential threats, from the toughest to watch to reminders that "not all Doomsday-related tales are downers." As the tagline for Gattaca's ad campaign put it: "There is no gene for the human spirit."

So I've been thinking about this whole thing a little: would a presidential order to use nuclear weapons in the event of their death be a legal military order? It's a tricky question. I don't think there's any written policy on it.

The Bulletin's July magazine, published today, delves into the best (and maybe some of the worst) movies on nuclear weapons, climate change, biological threats, and artificial intelligence. 🎬️ thebulletin.org/magazine/202...

The Bulletin sits down with three leading experts at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biosecurity to break down the most urgent risks and opportunities shaping these fields, from pandemic preparedness to the role of AI in national security and biotechnology.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is deeply honored to be the recipient of the second Miwon Peace Prize from the Kyung Hee University System. The award recognizes the Bulletin's commitment to translating scientific knowledge into action for peace, security, and the future of humanity.

The @thebulletin.org has been selected to receive the Miwon Peace Prize! It is a true honor for the Bulletin and a testament to 80 years of amazing work by our founders, our community, our Boards, our leaders, and our team. thebulletin.org/2026/06/the-...

One of his main justifications for leaving the JCPOA was that it did not cover ballistic missiles!!!!!

On June 22, Genevieve Guenther @doctorvive.bsky.social and Michael E. Mann @michaelemann.bsky.social will join the Bulletin's Alexandra Bell @atomicbell.bsky.social to discuss recent developments in the study of climate change. Sign up to join this free virtual discussion below. ⬇️

June Board Meeting completed. Conference starting.

Tomorrow, join the Bulletin for an expert virtual panel exploring the risks presented by the shifting global order and the changing role the United States government is playing in a new era of arms control.

No consensus outcome at the NPT RevCon, but that does not change the bottom line: The world needs the NPT for our collective security. Going forward, it will be important to have leaders who understand the value and purpose of the NPT and will act accordingly.

Next Thursday, May 28, join the Bulletin for an expert virtual panel exploring the risks presented by the shifting global order and the changing role the United States government is playing in a new era of proliferation.

Atlantic columnist and US Naval War College professor emeritus Tom Nichols @radiofreetom.bsky.social delves into the tumultuous political situation in the United States and its impact on US foreign policy, and what that means for the prospects for new nuclear arms control agreements.

For this issue of the Bulletin magazine, we asked an array of imaginative experts for their ideas on avoiding a renewed nuclear arms race in a world stripped of arms control architecture so carefully built during the Cold War, and so carelessly cast aside during the last decade. buff.ly/NRlt54U

Trump on Iran War: Reporter: What extent are Americans’ financial situation motivating you to make a deal? Trump: Not even a little bit. I don't think about Americans’ financial situation

Washington Post satellite imagery analysis finds Iran strikes on US installations far more accurate and effective than disclosed; US bases unprepared for drones. "The amount of destruction is far larger than what has been publicly acknowledged by the U.S. government or previously reported."

After 12 years as the Bulletin's editor in chief, John Mecklin @meckdevil.bsky.social is stepping down. If you're a deep thinker and top-flight journalist, here are the reasons you should want to replace him, from the man himself.

Big news!

NPT RevCon kicks off today. Let's hope for constructive engagement.

On Friday, the Trump administration fired the National Science Board, a move that continues it's politicization at NSF and risks further interference at the nation's premier scientific research agency. My thoughts in a new post: blog.ucs.org/gretchen-gol...

The Pope and the Catholic Church have been extremely clear that we should build a world without nuclear weapons. This is something Trump himself has also said on repeated occasions, despite the lack of any actual action to achieve it.

Hot take: effective diplomacy requires trained professionals and patience.

We are capable of great things.

Next Monday, April 13, the Bulletin will host a virtual panel on growing concerns around nuclear power plants becoming targets in war, particularly in Iran and Ukraine, and the implications for the future of nuclear energy. Watch on our YouTube channel. ⬇️

What a nuclear crisis looks like in NUKEMAP logs... these are hourly unique visitors over the last 24 hours, via Cloudflare.

Before tonight, every single Member of Congress should have to state whether or not they support killing "a whole civilization."

What has President Trump achieved with the war in Iran? "The United States may have taken away some of Iran's nuclear capabilities—though crucially not its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and nascent bomb-making ability," writes Richard Nephew @richardmnephew.bsky.social.

I was just disinvited from the Air War College where I’d been asked to lecture on my book, which is a history of U.S. civil-military relations.

Join us for a discussion on the current situation in Iran this Monday at 3:15 pm CT/ 4:15 pm ET. www.youtube.com/live/RYKfoC-...

Excellent analysis from Matt Bunn. Note the danger he cites that Iran still has a supply of 60% enriched uranium and deeply buried centrifuges that could spin it to bomb grade. This strike may have accelerated Iran’s efforts to get a bomb. What would Israel or the US do? Attack it?

The only thing more powerful than hate is love.

ELDERS’ STATEMENT | The Elders urge USA, Russia to halt nuclear arms race as New START expires Putin and Trump must act urgently to secure a new deal, reduce nuclear risks and protect humanity. theelders.org/news/elders-... 1/2