Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, October 26, 2023
Posted: 26th October 2023
IIreland is home to over seven million commercially farmed cows, which outnumber the five million human residents. (Photo by Michael Starkie on Unsplash)
CLIMATE CHANGE
Ireland isn’t culling cows for climate. But maybe they should be?
It’s unlikely that Ireland can meet its climate targets without shrinking cow herds, but the dairy industry doesn’t want to hear it, says Jan Dutkiewicz, an assistant professor of political science at the Pratt Institute. Read more.
CLIMATE CHANGE
How ‘risk tipping points’ threaten humanity’s ability to cope with climate crisis
A new UN University report states that humanity is fast approaching ‘risk tipping points’ that could destroy the systems human life depends on. However, having this foresight means it remains possible to take action to prevent them. Read more.
NUCLEAR RISK
Why Iran may feel less restrained in nuclear decision-making now
If Russia gets away with using nuclear brinkmanship without consequence, other countries might feel less restrained about developing their own nuclear weapons—starting with Iran, writes author and historian John Ghazvinian. Read more.
Join us for the Bulletin’s 2023 annual event featuring Christopher Nolan
At Conversations Before Midnight, ask your questions about Oppenheimer during the live Q&A with award-winning director Christopher Nolan. After the keynote, join one of five high-level private conversations, featuring the very best of the Bulletin’s experts.
IN THE NEWS
Spacetime: All the universe’s a stage
In this Symmetry Magazine story, Bulletin Science and Security Board co-chair Daniel Holz helps explain the fourth dimension of spacetime. To learn more about experts’ advancing understanding of the universe, join Holz in a group conversation discussing black holes at the Bulletin’s annual gathering. Read more.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“This incident again underlines the extremely precarious nuclear safety situation in Ukraine, which will continue as long as this tragic war goes on. The fact that numerous windows at the [nuclear power plant] were destroyed shows just how close it was. Next time, we may not be so fortunate.”
— International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, “Update 190 – IAEA director general statement on situation in Ukraine,” International Atomic Energy Agency
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