Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, November 23, 2023
Posted: 23rd November 2023
OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman speaks at TechCrunch in 2019. Credit: TechCrunch, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
SARA GOUDARZI
A tale of two camps: Sam Altman’s departure from (and return to) OpenAI
The Sam Altman saga illustrates the rift between two camps with different ideas of how to run OpenAI, reports the Bulletin’s disruptive technologies editor. Read more.
ZACHARY KALLENBORN
Cheap drones pose a significant chemical terrorism threat
As the US Congress backslides on protecting against chemical terrorism, inexpensive drones may be increasing the risk of attacks on chemical facilities or the use of chemical weapons, writes a leading expert on weapons of mass destruction. Read more.
ROBERT E. KELLY
Why North Korea may use nuclear weapons first
Because it will face an intense “use-it-or-lose-it” dilemma, North Korea will likely employ nuclear weapons early if war erupts on the Korean peninsula, writes a political analyst on inter-Korean affairs. “In preparation, the US should deconcentrate its northeast Asian footprint to reduce North Korean opportunities to engage in nuclear blackmail.” Read more.
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BEVERLY LAW, RALPH BLOEMERS, NANCY COLLETON, MACKENZIE ALLEN
Redefining the wildfire problem & scaling solutions to meet the challenge
For society to move from unpredictable disasters to prepared and resilient communities that can weather extreme events, policymakers, agencies, and the public will need to embrace a new approach to living with fire, argue four environmental experts. Read this premium magazine article, currently available to all readers.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Present trends are racing our planet down a dead-end 3C temperature rise. This is a failure of leadership, a betrayal of the vulnerable, and a massive missed opportunity. Renewables have never been cheaper or more accessible. We know it is still possible to make the 1.5 degree limit a reality. It requires tearing out the poisoned root of the climate crisis: fossil fuels.”
— United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, “World facing ‘hellish’ 3C of climate heating, UN warns before Cop28,” The Guardian
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