Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, September 14, 2023
Posted: 14th September 2023
DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Popping the chatbot hype balloon
Debates about the potential dangers of AI have combined concerns about negative impacts of chatbots with fears that AI development will lead to machines that surpass human intelligence. Bulletin editor Sara Goudarzi evaluates the validity of this concern. Read more.
DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Rabid anti-vaxxers could help spread deadly disease
Many owners are hesitant to get their dogs vaccinated against rabies, writes Bulletin editor Dawn Stover. “If vaccination levels in the US drop below 70 percent of the dog population, that could lead to rabies outbreaks in domestic dogs. The disease could then spread from dogs to humans.” Read more.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Nuclear Notebook: Pakistan nuclear weapons in 2023
In the latest Nuclear Notebook entry, nuclear information experts from the Federation of American Scientists provide estimates on Pakistan’s expanding nuclear arsenal. Read more.
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CLIMATE CHANGE
Texas breaks ground on controversial Biden-backed carbon removal project
The chief executive of the oil company that owns the billion-dollar project said it would allow them to operate another “60, 70, 80 years,” says environment reporter Oliver Milman. Read more.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“We do not need more warnings. The dystopian future is already here. We need urgent action now.”
— Volker Turk, United Nations official, “Climate change ‘dystopian future already here’ “ Al Jazeera
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