Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, February 19th, 2026

Posted: 20th February 2026

February 19, 2026

An artist’s illustration of the Land Cruise Missile (LCM) system being developed by France for deep precision strike capability. Europe seeks to address the risks posed by Russia’s large and unconstrained arsenal of non-strategic nuclear weapons, which were never covered by New START. (MBDA)

What the end of New START means for Europe: Two views

For experts Angela Kane and Héloïse Fayet, the end of New START means Europe must advance its own arms control agenda. Read more.

How killing the endangerment finding will hurt the AI industry

Aside from the symbolic meanness that is a hallmark of this administration, the immediate impact on climate of canceling the endangerment finding is quite limited, writes David Callaway. “The real impact will be on AI data centers.” Read more.

When the Land Runs Out

Harry Nakamura, a Japanese-American man who grew up during World War II, joins a walk for peace across the United States in this short story by Cynthia Walker. Upon hitting Nebraska, he asked himself: “What was a 59-year-old grandfather with creaky knees and asthma who’d never protested a thing doing out here?” This Bulletin magazine story is available to all readers for a limited time.

VIRTUAL EVENT TODAY

Decision Time: AI and our Nuclear Arsenal

Around the world, countries with nuclear weapons are considering using artificial intelligence in their nuclear command and control systems. How can people trust the integration of AI in systems that can create catastrophic consequences because of a single error or lack of human oversight?

Join us and the Outrider Foundation for an in-depth conversation unpacking this question and more today, February 19, 12:45 p.m. CST / 1:45 p.m. EST. Sign up here.

Recent articles

• Environmental self-reliance in North Korea: a potential path to engagement
• In Munich, Europe tries to strike a balance: “We need a more European NATO.”
• Seabed zero: Baltic sabotage and the global risks to undersea infrastructure
• Trump’s EPA kills the endangerment finding—the legal basis for nearly every major US climate regulation
• The ick factor won’t stop alt meat, if Bruce Friedrich has anything to say about it

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I don’t see how Argentina can meet its climate commitments by expanding its beef production for the United States [...] By importing Argentina’s beef to the U.S., this administration is exporting its disregard for the climate crisis.”

— Stephanie Feldstein, population and sustainability director at the Center for Biological Diversity, “Trump’s beef trade deal is a lose-lose gamble that won’t lower prices,” Grist

Your gift fuels our mission to educate and empower. Together we will work to ensure science serves humanity.