Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, November 6, 2023
Posted: 6th November 2023
A French nuclear bomb test at Mururoa Atoll, 1970. Source: Wikimedia Commons
NUCLEAR RISK
A small victory for nuclear justice. And international cooperation.
A kind of diplomatic magic recently took place during a United Nations meeting. For the first time, diplomats considered a resolution to address member states that have been affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons. Read more.
DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Threat in the sky: How cheap drones are changing warfare
Hamas recently used drones to penetrate Israel’s famous air defense system, killing over 1,400. To understand how drone warfare has evolved to be so cheap and deadly, Bulletin editor Sara Goudarzi spoke with a drone company CEO and a researcher at a Swiss international security research institute. Read more.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Species protections lag behind climate-driven declines
Many species that are not currently designated as endangered or threatened are actually in rapid decline, without any protections, reports Bulletin editorial fellow Chad Small. Read more.
Shop the Bulletin’s vintage magazine cover T-shirts
All the designs in this T-shirt collection come from the Bulletin’s 75+ years of magazine covers. From articles by Albert Einstein to one of the first mentions of the term “climate change,” our archives are filled with decades of expert commentary and unforgettable artwork.
DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Spotting AI-generated content is too hard. Look for credible sources instead.
As generative AI continues to improve, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for humans to spot model-generated content. What, then, should be done to reduce the flood of new risks? Read more.
NUCLEAR RISK
Israel’s Netanyahu suspends minister for suggesting a nuclear weapons option in Gaza
A junior, far-right minister in the Israeli government was suspended indefinitely on Sunday after he suggested that it would be “an option” for Israel to use a nuclear weapon in Gaza. Read more.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Companies including Google and Amazon say they have fought off the world’s biggest distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack, but are warning internet users that these types of attacks could cause widespread disruption unless cybersecurity measures are stepped up.”
— Akshay Joshi, Head of Industry and Partnerships for the World Economic Forum’s Centre for Cybersecurity, “Biggest-ever DDoS attack threatens companies worldwide,” World Economic Forum
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