Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, April 15, 2024
Posted: 15th April 2024
UCSB)HUI ZHANG
The short march to China’s hydrogen bomb
In less than seven years, Chinese physicists went from launching a new hydrogen bomb research program to successfully detonating a full-yield 3.3 megaton H-bomb. There’s still limited knowledge in Western literature about how China built its first H-bomb. Based on newly available information, here is that story. Read more.
SULGIYE PARK, RODNEY C. EWING
Environmental impacts of underground nuclear weapons
Between 1945 and 1996, more than 2,000 nuclear tests were conducted, three-quarters of which were underground. What is their environmental legacy? Part of our March premium magazine, this article is accessible to all readers for a limited time. Read more.
ERIK ENGLISH
Nukes, political violence, and environmental exploitation: The enduring relevance of Dune
Denis Villeneuve’s latest adaptation of the classic sci-fi novel focuses on the corruptibility of leaders, the dangers of political violence, and how the thirst for natural resources is used to justify extreme acts of war and environmental degradation. It feels more relevant than ever. Read more.
What may come next in theRussia-Ukraine war?
On April 24, join the Bulletin for a virtual event, with Stephen Biddle and Melinda Haring in conversation with Julian Barnes on the strategic landscape of the war in Ukraine and what the next phase of the war could bring.
IN THE NEWS
Bulletin editor-in-chief interviewed for Diablo Canyon documentary
John Mecklin was interviewed for “Diablo Canyon: California’s Last Nuclear Power Plant,” which will premiere on PBS SoCal this Wednesday, April 17 at 7:30 pm local time. Watch the trailer here.
SARAH STARKEY
Callaway Climate Insights founder David Callaway joins the Bulletin’s Governing Board
An award-winning journalist, David Callaway is the founder and editor-in-chief of Callaway Climate Insights. He previously served as president of the World Editors Forum, editor-in-chief at USA Today and MarketWatch and chief executive officer of TheStreet Inc. Read more.
SARAH STARKEY
Marina Barbera joins the Bulletin
“Marina Barbera’s experience in donor cultivation and stewardship will be an invaluable addition to Bulletin’s fundraising efforts,” said Bulletin Chief Advancement Officer Stephanie Carper. Read more.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“[Paulette] Blanchard said it’s a remarkable moment because for the first time in history, Western science is beginning to work with Indigenous scientists to understand the relationship of plants and ecosystems, and the snowball effect the loss of one species can have on another.”
— Adam Kemp, “Through gardens, these Native communities are cultivating a solution to climate change,” PBS Newshour
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