The best thinking on existential threats since 1945. Nuclear risk, climate change, and disruptive technologies. We set the #DoomsdayClock. thebulletin.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mlbl6uxsh52mAI is receiving massive funding from the government and private industry, but other technologies that the Defense Department has identified as "critical" for future warfighting are overlooked and underfunded. Read more from Julie George @julesgeorge.bsky.social. ⬇️ https://thebulletin.org/2026/05/beyond-ai-what-the-pentagon-is-missing-with-its-trimmed-critical-technologies-list?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost052026&utm_content=DisruptiveTechnologies_PentagonList_0507202607 May 2026 15:53 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlbl6uxsh52mhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3ml75epwnll2tBy bundling spent fuel siting with advanced reactor deployment, the US Energy Department's nuclear campus plan exposes nuclear waste policy to the broader politics of nuclear deregulation, writes Vincent Ialenti @vincentialenti.bsky.social. https://thebulletin.org/2026/05/will-the-trump-administrations-nuclear-campus-plan-break-the-us-nuclear-waste-gridlock?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost052026&utm_content=NuclearRisk_Gridlock_0506202606 May 2026 16:41 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml75epwnll2thttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3ml4ydegx2d2tThe emergence of plasma-based directed-energy weapon systems requires a reconceptualization of deterrence theory, writes Mohammad Eslami. Unlike nuclear deterrence, based in the logic of catastrophic retaliation, plasma deterrence may function through precision, disruption, and strategic ambiguity. https://thebulletin.org/premium/2026-03/plasma-weapons-and-deterrence-in-the-age-of-emerging-military-technologies?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost052026&utm_content=DisruptiveTechnology_PlasmaWeapons_0312202605 May 2026 20:05 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml4ydegx2d2thttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3ml4ibbkjxg2m"It is up to scientists and academia to guard the truth: Everything written in an article, every scientific interaction with the public, every peer-review we perform, every editorial we publish has to be thorough and based on facts," writes Georgios Pappas @georgiospappas6.bsky.social. https://thebulletin.org/2026/05/why-are-so-many-scientific-articles-wrong-about-the-disease-i-study?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost052026&utm_content=DisruptiveTechnologyBio_ArticlesWrong_0504202605 May 2026 15:18 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml4ibbkjxg2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3ml2kwbpc2i2cBulletin subscribers can read the entire magazine archive, including the July/August 1997 issue, "Star Wars." Learn more about the magazine here: https://thebulletin.org/magazine-subscription04 May 2026 21:00 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml2kwbpc2i2chttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mkzyghyywg2r"If we reduce super pollutants quickly and adequately, risky geoengineering may never be necessary," writes Paul Bledsoe. https://thebulletin.org/2026/05/emergency-brakes-how-to-limit-temperatures-long-before-the-last-resort-of-geoengineering?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost052026&utm_content=ClimateChange_Brakes_0503202604 May 2026 15:29 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkzyghyywg2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mkzsowd5452cAfter 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. https://thebulletin.org/2026/05/take-my-job-please?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost052026&utm_content=Bulletin_TakeMyJobPlease_0504202604 May 2026 13:46 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkzsowd5452chttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mkpvi5nwzv2yAI is being woven into military systems intended to help human commanders make decisions in times of crisis, but there is no real-world data for training machines about nuclear war, write Ulysse Richard and Yorgo El Moubayed. https://thebulletin.org/2026/04/ai-nuclear-decision-making-has-a-data-problem?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=NuclearRisk_AINuclearDecision_0429202630 Apr 2026 15:10 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkpvi5nwzv2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mknpzxxnof23Health economists are growing concerned about the future economic consequences of falling vaccination rates in the United States, writes Matt Field @mattyfield.bsky.social. In some regions, they are well below the level necessary to stop outbreaks of diseases such as measles. https://thebulletin.org/premium/2026-03/as-measles-outbreaks-grow-the-economic-cost-of-anti-vaccine-misinformation-could-become-clearer?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=DisruptiveTechnologiesBio_MeaslesOutbreaks_0312202629 Apr 2026 18:27 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mknpzxxnof23https://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mkniy6kjl22r"To avoid future calamities, the public must pressure policymakers to maintain rigorous standards required for building, operating and maintaining nuclear facilities worldwide." — Bulletin president and CEO Alexandra Bell @atomicbell.bsky.social. [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Apr 2026 16:21 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkniy6kjl22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mkngzlj54y2tThe disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima are commonly touted as mere cultural exceptions, either due to Soviet communism or to Japanese "groupism." Doing so is not only inaccurate or borderline racist, writes Maxime Polleri @maximepolleri.bsky.social. It normalizes nuclear disasters. https://thebulletin.org/2026/04/from-soviet-to-japanese-nuclear-disasters-the-pitfalls-of-cultural-exceptionalism?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=NuclearRisk_Pitfalls_0426202629 Apr 2026 15:46 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkngzlj54y2thttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mknep6twhm2yIn addition to our regular website content, the Bulletin publishes a premium magazine six times a year. Subscribers get access to new issues, our 80 year archive, and invitations to supporter only events. Try out a monthly subscription today for $7.99! https://thebulletin.org/magazine-subscription/?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost03282026&utm_content=SpecialTopics_Sub_03202629 Apr 2026 15:04 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mknep6twhm2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mklvks2gvx23As a nonprofit, our responsibility is to scientific integrity and the public—not to advertisers, shareholders, or political pressure. Without independent nonprofit media, the public never has a chance to see critical stories that affect us all. Support our mission: igfn.us/form/tE7vTw29 Apr 2026 01:00 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mklvks2gvx23https://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mkkuffsbts2nIn a dark world of wars and shifting geopolitical alignments, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is needed more than even some state parties may realize, writes Jan Hoekema. "The NPT is robust and serves the interests of all, no matter how varied the ideas, wishes, and demands of parties may be." https://thebulletin.org/2026/04/proposals-for-a-brighter-npt-review-conference-in-times-of-nonproliferation-darkness?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=NuclearRisk_BetterNPTConference_0428202628 Apr 2026 15:07 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkkuffsbts2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mkif3jfqrq2rHow can the NPT Review Conference be salvaged? A divided review conference is a likely outcome in New York, write Adam Scheinman and Mark Goodman @markwgoodman.bsky.social. But there may be a narrow path to consensus if parties come ready to make difficult compromises on non-proliferation. https://thebulletin.org/2026/04/how-to-salvage-the-npt-review-conference?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=NuclearRisk_SalvageNPT_0427202627 Apr 2026 15:28 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkif3jfqrq2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mk6sof6ede2rWhat, exactly, is the Golden Dome? Could it work? And is it likely to be affordable? To answer those questions, it's necessary to go back in time, to the Reagan-era SDI program (alias "Star Wars") and even earlier, writes Jeff Hecht @jhecht.bsky.social. ⬇️ https://thebulletin.org/2026/04/space-based-missile-defense-golden-dome-or-gold-brick?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=NuclearRisk_GoldenDomeBrick_0422202623 Apr 2026 20:04 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk6sof6ede2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mk6cdhhk6v23As President Trump pushes to reopen talks with Iran, US negotiators should demand the surveillance of Bushehr and the removal of spent fuel to reduce proliferation risks from plutonium, writes Henry Sokolski. https://thebulletin.org/2026/04/missing-from-us-iran-talks-plutonium-for-more-than-200-nuclear-bombs?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=NuclearRisk_IranPlutonium_0423202623 Apr 2026 15:12 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk6cdhhk6v23https://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mk44jaefpq26A disastrous AI incident is no longer a matter of if, but when, writes Juhyun Nam. AI governance needs to be prepared for that day—and for the "policy window" that will open when it happens. https://thebulletin.org/2026/04/ai-policy-is-built-for-oversight-not-crisis-that-needs-to-change?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=DisruptiveTechnologies_AIOversightCrisis_0422202622 Apr 2026 18:22 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk44jaefpq26https://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mk3wgmzbyd2yThe Paris Climate Accords were signed on April 22—#EarthDay—10 years ago today. @jessimckenzi.bsky.social interviews historian @marchudson.bsky.social, who publishes various pieces of climate ephemera on his blog, @allouryesterdays.bsky.social, about what he's learned archiving climate history. https://thebulletin.org/2026/04/on-this-day-in-climate-history-why-its-important-to-look-back-to-move-forward?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=ClimateChange_ClimateHistory_0422202622 Apr 2026 16:33 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk3wgmzbyd2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mk3sgquqjc2uJoin us for "Expertise on Demand: AI in Journalism, Academia, and Thought Leadership," live now. [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Apr 2026 15:22 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk3sgquqjc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mk3ol3hiw226Join us in one hour for a discussion on the future of AI in journalism, academia, and thought leadership. ⬇️ [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Apr 2026 14:13 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk3ol3hiw226https://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mjzf7lp7k42tEvidence of AI usage is increasingly occurring in peer-reviewed academic works, and databases are starting to show evidence of AI hallucinations. At what point does algorithmic assistance become an intellectual liability? Join us tomorrow, April 22, as experts discuss this question and more. ⬇️ https://youtube.com/live/Hfcuj-K2UlU21 Apr 2026 16:20 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjzf7lp7k42thttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mjwobyawzz2r"The amount of water stored in the snowpack historically peaks around April 1. But this year, the snowpack in many places was absent, or nearly so, by then—the lowest level in the 45 years since automated measurements began," writes Anna Marija Helt @ahelt.bsky.social. https://thebulletin.org/2026/04/what-the-historically-low-snowpack-in-the-american-west-means-for-water-and-wildfire-this-summer?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=ClimateChange_LowSnowpack_0420202620 Apr 2026 14:24 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjwobyawzz2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mjrv5ootha2w"President's Trump's disdain for the rules is endangering world order in many ways," write Frank N. von Hippel and Seyed Hossein Mousavian. "We cannot leave defense of the nonproliferation regime for later, however. If we do, we may find ourselves in a nuclear-armed crowd." https://thebulletin.org/2026/04/taking-a-sledgehammer-to-the-nuclear-nonproliferation-regime?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=NuclearRisk_Sledgehammer_0418202618 Apr 2026 16:44 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjrv5ootha2whttps://bsky.app/profile/thebulletin.org/post/3mjn4ssjhh426Washington is right to demand strong non-proliferation guarantees from Iran, writes Olamide Samuel @olamidediy.bsky.social. But, it must treat the institutions that make these guarantees credible as something more than disposable tools. https://thebulletin.org/2026/04/it-seems-washington-needs-to-be-reminded-of-the-nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty?utm_source=Bluesky&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=BlueskyPost042026&utm_content=NuclearRisk_DCRemindedNPT_0416202616 Apr 2026 19:18 +0000at://did:plc:4crytqwvj4ehonipglqe5ctf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjn4ssjhh426