Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, July 1, 2024

ALICIA SANDERS-ZAKRE, SUSI SNYDER
Why cost should not be an obstacle to compensating nuclear survivors

Funding nuclear weapons while ignoring testing victims is a gross dereliction of duty. Extending the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) would address these harms. Read more.

MILES A. POMPER, YANLIANG PAN
Nuclear energy could power the AI boom—but only if proliferation risks are minimized

Oklo Inc.’s microreactor concept poses a proliferation risk, write two experts, by increasing the availability of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. Read more.

CURTIS T. ASPLUND, ZIA MIAN, STEWART PRAGER, FRANK VON HIPPEL
Nuclear danger is growing. Physicists of the world, unite!

Physicists have a moral responsibility to help reduce the dangers of nuclear weapons. To be successful, they must unite. Read more.

DAVID HEYMANN
An approach to making risky research with pathogens safer

Regulation alone can’t fully mitigate the risks of gain of function research or insecure labs. To decrease the threat, governments and scientists should develop policies and regulations from the ground up. Read more.

JOHN MECKLIN, THOMAS GAULLKIN
No debate: On existential threats, Biden, Trump, and CNN all largely failed

In general, the outright panic in many Democratic circles over Biden’s aged demeanor overwhelmed reporting on any public policy matters “addressed” in Thursday’s presidential debate. And discussion of existential threats was fleeting, when it existed at all. Read more.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
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“[Denmark] will be the first country in the world to introduce a real CO2 tax on agriculture.”

— Jeppe Bruus, Danish Taxation Minister, “Gassy cows and pigs will face a carbon tax in Denmark, a world first,” AP

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