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E.g., 10/07/2013

Avner Cohen

Avner Cohen is a senior fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies and the author of

Columnists
16 August 2010
Biosecurity

Synthetic biology: Harbinger of an uncertain future?

Malcolm Dando

It is hard to imagine that only three years ago, back in 2007, there was such a lack of awareness of dual-use and related biosecurity issues among practicing life scientists. Even the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) was almost unknown. For me, this brand of unawareness was confirmed when, that year, Alexander Kelle attended "Synthethic Biology 3.0", an international convention on synthetic biology that was held in Zurich, and interviewed some of the leaders in the field on dual-use and biosecurity issues.

Columnists
3 August 2010
Nuclear Weapons

Now showing: Countdown to Zero

Hugh Gusterson

Great historical changes begin as the quixotic obsessions of a vanguard of idealists who are seen as dangerous radicals or ideological deviants by many of their contemporaries. Think of the first advocates of the abolition of slavery, the first suffragettes, and the first gay rights activists.

Opinion
23 July 2010
Climate Change

The passing of a climate prodigy

Richard C. J. Somerville

A towering figure in climate science, Stephen H. Schneider, 65, died of an apparent heart attack on July 19, 2010, while flying to London from a conference in Stockholm. The loss of Schneider, a professor at Stanford University, deprives the world of both an outstanding researcher and a gifted science communicator. To his colleagues in climate science, Steve, as everybody called him, has long been known as a scientific pioneer and a role model.

Columnists
20 July 2010
Nuclear Weapons

Contending with the new "radioactive patriotism"

Joshua Pollack

A few weeks ago, it seemed as if the nuclear arms control and nonproliferation communities had any number of new reasons for optimism. April brought the New START treaty, the Nuclear Posture Review, and the 47-nation Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C. The 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference concluded in May with a hard-won consensus. Finally, in early June, the U.N.

Columnists
9 July 2010

The olive branch in the West Bank

Hugh Gusterson

Israel's ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren, was recently quoted as saying that relations between the U.S. and Israel were undergoing a "tectonic rift in which continents are drifting apart." If the quote is accurate, which Oren later disputed, it is surely an overstatement.

Columnists
8 July 2010
Biosecurity

Neuroethicists are not saying enough about the problem of dual-use

Malcolm Dando

The minutes of many U.K. Ministry of Defense's secret committees' meetings held during the Cold War period are now available to the public in the National Archives. Thus, we know that one March day in 1959, the Chemistry Committee of the U.K.'s Advisory Council on Scientific Research and Technical Development met in London to discuss the possibilities for developing new chemical incapacitating weapons agents--including ones with neurological effects--something both the United Kingdom and its allies were trying to achieve.

Columnists
3 July 2010
Nuclear Weapons

Setback for WMD security

Fissile Materials Working Group

When the Group of Eight (G-8) last gathered in Canada in 2002, the summit meeting was an unarguable success for the future of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) security. The leaders launched a multilateral initiative, known as the Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, and pledged $20 billion over 10 years to help Russia destroy their WMD stockpiles.

1 July 2010

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Volume 66 Issue 4

Columnists
1 July 2010
Nuclear Weapons

Against counterinsurgency in Afghanistan

Hugh Gusterson

It says something about American politics that Gen. Stanley McChrystal was not fired because U.S. casualties in Afghanistan are running at record levels, because the much vaunted Marja initiative has failed, or because the Kandahar offensive is already in trouble during its preliminary rollout. No, he was fired because he and his team embarrassed the White House with carelessly frank talk to a journalist. "This is a change in personnel, but not a change in policy," said President Barack Obama in announcing General McChrystal's dismissal.

1 July 2010
Feature

Assessing the 2010 NPT Review Conference

A necessary political success, this year's conference has far-reaching implications

1 July 2010
Feature

Reassessing the nuclear renaissance

Paul Nelson
A historical perspective reveals some unanticipated possibilities for the next 20 years
1 July 2010
Feature

Creating the ultimate nuclear reactor

William C. Sailor
Several next-generation nuclear reactor designs hold the promise of almost completely solving the worst concerns about nuclear energy. There is still a long way to go, however, before we see the “ultimate
1 July 2010
Feature

Involving the public in nuclear terrorism preparedness: Reflections on the Washington Nuclear Summit

The global challenge of nuclear and radiological terrorism demands a global response—and public involvement.
1 July 2010
Feature

U.S. nuclear laboratories in a nuclear-zero world

Judith Reppy
In an era of nuclear disarmament, the role of the national labs must be redefined because continued modernization of nuclear activities is a step backward, rather than forward.
1 July 2010
Feature

The security implications of nanotechnology

Margaret Kosal
Although nanotechnology offers much hope, it also has dual-use potential that must be addressed. Past attempts to control chemical and biological weapons are instructive but inadequate.
1 July 2010
Feature

Global watch: The state of biological investigations

Karin HjalmarssonNicolas IslaGabriele Kraatz-WadsackMaurizio Barbeschi

International capabilities must be supported and improved to respond to alleged uses of biological agents.

1 July 2010
Nuclear notebook

Global nuclear weapons inventories, 1945–2010

Robert S. NorrisHans M. Kristensen

As Russia and the United States continue to reduce their Cold War arsenals, global inventories of nuclear weapons will continue to decline. Yet eight of the nine nuclear states continue to produce new or modernized nuclear weapons.

Opinion
25 June 2010

Right-Sizing the "Loose Nukes" Security Budget: Part 2

Kenneth N. Luongo

In Part 1 of this article, the recent and historical budgets for securing vulnerable nuclear materials around the globe were analyzed. Recommendations were also made for increasing the budgets for the key National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) programs, including the International Nuclear Material Protection Cooperation (INMPC) and Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) programs, in fiscal year (FY) 2010 and then through 2014.

Columnists
15 June 2010
Biosecurity

Reality check: No time to waste before the 2011 BWC Review Conference

Malcolm Dando

With the end of the academic year approaching and the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference already over, I had been looking forward to a little relaxation: After tidying my office, I planned to sit back and watch England win the World Cup in South Africa. Unfortunately for me, my summer plans were dashed when I realized that my office begged for much more than mere tidying. I was quickly brought back to reality--and that return to reality was not connected to England's chances of winning the World Cup.

Columnists
8 June 2010
Nuclear Weapons

What is nuclear security worth in 2011?

Fissile Materials Working Group

If the car bomb in Times Square contained just one of the tens of thousands of radioactive sources that exist in the U.S. and it had successfully detonated, this American landmark would be uninhabitable for months or years to come. And, if the attack were with an improvised nuclear device instead, a large portion of Manhattan would have been destroyed. We were lucky in many ways that day, but these are real threats posed by ever-bolder terrorists, and our luck might not last forever.

Columnists
2 June 2010
Nuclear Weapons

What nonproliferation diplomacy can and can't achieve

Joshua Pollack

Multilateral diplomacy is hardly destined to become a spectator sport. For most people--for almost all people, really--"talk shops" like the United Nations fail to get the blood racing. If successful, they tend to produce results gradually, fitfully, and by a series of compromises.

Opinion
26 May 2010
Nuclear Weapons

Bunker mentality: Is NNSA digging itself into a hole at Los Alamos?

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Congress are currently weighing whether--and at what pace and scale, and with what capabilities--to build two large production facilities for warhead components with a combined price tag in the range of $6-7 billion.1

While on the surface these plans appear settled, there has been no administration or congressional go-ahead to build either project, and none are warranted. Beneath the surface, significant unresolved issues concerning mission, urgency, scale, budget, and design remain.

Opinion
25 May 2010
Nuclear Weapons

Right-Sizing the "Loose Nukes" Security Budget: Part 1

Kenneth N. Luongo

Highlighting the danger posed by nuclear terrorism and the need for an effective response, President Barack Obama came to office promising to "secure all vulnerable nuclear materials around the world within four years." The necessity of this goal is unquestioned. In fact, since 2004, at least four published official government reports have criticized the adequacy of the U.S. government's response to the threat of nuclear terrorism. The ability to achieve this objective, however, has been questioned.

Opinion
19 May 2010
Nuclear WeaponsNuclear Energy

Deconstructing the meaning of Iran's 20 percent uranium enrichment

Ivan OelrichIvanka Barzashka

On February 11, the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered the "sweet" news that Iran had successfully produced 20 percent enriched uranium. More than anything, the announcement served as Iran's response to the stalemate over purchasing fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor that is used, in part, to produce medical isotopes.

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