Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, August 31st 2026: Nuclear policy and the Doomsday Clock today
Posted: 1st September 2026
August 31, 2026
Screenshot from a recently published interview with Bulletin President and CEO Alexandra Bell.
VIDEO
Nuclear policy and the Doomsday Clock today
Bulletin president and CEO Alexandra Bell discusses concerns surrounding nuclear policy and other existential threat issues that factored into the 2026 Doomsday Clock conversation. Watch here.
The US military’s fatal stance on climate change
The Pentagon is preparing to wage war in a warming world, even as it accelerates it, writes Neta C. Crawford. She writes that “At its core, and no matter the administration, a national security strategy that seeks American preeminence risks much more than US global status [... it] directly and indirectly sacrifices environmental security and is part of the behavior that risks the survival of everyone on the planet.” Read more.
This article follows Crawford’s previous Bulletin article, published last week: “Mission impossible? Quantifying military emissions.”
In case you missed it: Doomsday and the movies
Before a new edition of the Bulletin magazine arrives next week, catch up on the July issue exploring movies that bring existential risk to the big screen.
Articles available to all readers include:
“Thirteen films that are essential to understanding the nuclear age,” by Alex Wellerstein
“Treat me like a human: the prescience of Children of Men,” by Eric Trumpand Josephine Johnston
“How the movies (and the rest of the media) made me into an anti-nuclear weapons campaigner,” by Helen Caldicott
The most recent Nuclear Notebook series entry, “Chinese nuclear weapons, 2026,” by Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda, Eliana Johns, andMackenzie Knight-Boyle
Upcoming Event
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Conversations Before Midnight
The Bulletin invites you to join us for our annual gathering, Conversations Before Midnight, on Thursday, November 12, 2026, in Chicago. Speakers will discuss why existential risks are on the rise and how our leaders can meet the moment.
This year’s event features a new format: a Reception and Keynote Discussion with Q&A for all ticket buyers (with tickets starting at $75), followed by an exclusive dinner with Bulletin leaders for sponsors and table buyers.
Conversations Before Midnight raises critical funds to sustain the Bulletin’s independent journalism and expert analysis—work the world relies on to understand and respond to existential risks when it matters most. See sponsorship and ticket options.
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