Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, October 10, 2024
Posted: 11th October 2024
JESSICA MCKENZIE
Meteorologist John Morales: There’s rapid intensification, there’s extreme rapid intensification—and then there’s Hurricane Milton
You may have seen a news clip of hurricane expert John Morales having an emotional moment on NBC6 after learning that Hurricane Milton had become a Category 5 storm in less than a day. Here he discusses what has made Milton so dangerous, and what he was thinking during that moment on air. Read more.
KUNAL C. POTNIS, GEORGE GOSHUA
CRISPR therapies can treat disease but cost millions. An equity-based approach could bring them to more people
To properly assess the value of expensive gene therapy in low- and middle- income countries, a new analytical lens may be necessary: one that incorporates health equity. Read more.
PAUL LUSHENKO, KEITH CARTER
A new military-industrial complex: How tech bros are hyping AI’s role in war
“In the context of great power war, where adversaries have parity of military capabilities, scholars claim that AI is the sine qua non, absolutely required for victory.” However, this line of reasoning may be misleading. Read more.
Join us for Conversations Before Midnight with David Ignatius
On November 12th, the Bulletin’s annual gathering will be held in Chicago.
Occurring one week after the US election, our keynote conversation will feature David Ignatius, award-winning Washington Post columnist whose new book Phantom Orbit focuses on growing conflicts in space.
DYLAN SPAULDING
The Energy Department just made one plutonium pit. Making more is uncertain
The Energy Department says it is closing in on mass producing warhead-ready plutonium pits—the explosive core of nuclear weapons. But a federal court ruling suggests otherwise. Read more.
IN THE NEWS
When a Television Meteorologist Breaks Down on Air and Admits Fears
This article from The New York Times quotes John Morales’ work in the Bulletin about the pushback he’s received as a meteorologist who discusses climate change on TV. Read more.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“A 1-in-10 chance of an existential threat is not small [...]”
— Joeri Rogelj, professor of climate science at Imperial College London, “Scientists have said that we can cool the planet back down. Now they’re not sure it will be so easy,” The Washington Post
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