Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Posted: 3rd September 2025

In 1939, Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard suggested that a nuclear weapon may be too heavy to be delivered by air, but could be brought into a port in a cargo container and detonated. Such a scenario is now feasible for aspiring nuclear terrorists in Iran, as reported in a July GDGIIHOD5KqywE7UeJx2H-ijtX2luY4YXfEJaTODH.u0Uy.zeVu142kkNAjvY2YXPK”>depositphotos.com)

The Cold War may have ended, but the threat of nuclear weapons has never disappeared—and in fact, it is rising once again.  

Today, approximately 12,000 nuclear weapons remain on the planet, with nearly 10,000 potentially usable in war and no plans suggesting nuclear nations intending to give up their arsenals anytime soon.

The Bulletin closely monitors nuclear risk and escalating tensions with timely articles and on-line programs. GDGIIHOD5KqywE7UeJx2H-ijtX2luY4YXfEJaTODH.u0Uy.zeVu142kkNAjvY2YXTK”>“Nuclear terrorists wear suits: How Iran could build a nuclear weapon without state approval”explores how an aspiring nuclear terrorist in Iran could be actively building an improvised nuclear weapon after an opportunity to steal weapon-usable uranium. And within days of the August meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, GDGIIHOD5KqywE7UeJx2H-ijtX2luY4YXfEJaTODH.u0Uy.zeVu142kkNAjvY2YXPL”>Donate now to support independent, science-driven journalism on the nuclear risks that could upend our shared future.

Thank you for standing with us. The future depends on the choices we make today.

François Diaz-Maurin

Nuclear Risk Editor

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists