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Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists | HearLore
— Ch. 1 · Founding And Early History —
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
~4 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists emerged in late 1945 from the ashes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A group of scientists who helped build the atomic bomb gathered to warn humanity about the dangers they had unleashed. Biophysicist Eugene Rabinowitch founded the magazine with physicist Hyman Goldsmith. They established the organization as the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists of Chicago immediately following the atomic bombings. Albert Einstein joined them as a founding member, lending his name and moral authority to the cause. The initial mission was clear: educate fellow scientists and the American public about nuclear weapons and their catastrophic potential. Contributors like Hans Bethe, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Leó Szilárd wrote articles explaining the science behind the destruction. In 1949, the Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science incorporated as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization to serve as the parent body. This foundation later changed its name to Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in 2003.
Doomsday Clock Symbolism
Landscape artist Martyl Langsdorf designed the first cover featuring the Doomsday Clock for the June 1947 issue of the magazine. She chose a clock over uranium because it better conveyed a sense of urgency. The original setting placed the minute hand at seven minutes to midnight. The Soviet Union's first nuclear test in 1949 prompted the first movement of the clock closer to midnight. By 1953, the hand had moved to two minutes to midnight due to continued Soviet testing. The clock has been adjusted 26 times since its inception in 1947. As of January 2025, the clock stands at 85 seconds to midnight, the closest approach ever recorded. The decision to move the hand is made by the Bulletin Science and Security Board during meetings held twice yearly. Each November, the organization hosts an annual dinner and meeting in Chicago open to the public before announcing the new time in January. In 2015, the Bulletin unveiled the Doomsday Dashboard, an interactive infographic illustrating data used to set the clock.
Board Structure And Leadership
California Governor Jerry Brown joined the organization as executive chair on the 25th of October 2018. The Bulletin leadership consists of three boards that guide its operations. The Board of Sponsors includes accomplished science and security leaders from around the world. As of October 2018, this board lists 14 Nobel Laureates who weigh in on critical issues including setting the Doomsday Clock. The Science and Security Board comprises globally recognized experts with specific areas of expertise in nuclear risk, climate change, and disruptive technologies. These members provide perspectives on trends and issues in their respective fields. John Mecklin serves as editor of the Bulletin magazine. Rachel Bronson took over as president and CEO after longtime executive director Kennette Benedict retired in January 2015. The organization maintains a bi-monthly academic journal published by Taylor & Francis Online since January 2016.
Evolution Of Content Focus
The publication shifted focus from Cold War nuclear arms control to modern concerns like climate change and cyber warfare. Articles have covered threats ranging from radiation following the Chernobyl disaster to military spending after the Soviet Union collapsed. In 2015, the Bulletin added the Nuclear Notebook Interactive, an infographic showing which countries possess nuclear weapons and how many warheads they hold. Hans Kristensen and Matt Korda write the bi-monthly Nuclear Notebook tracking global nuclear arsenals. Robert Stan Norris retired from the notebook in 2018 but remains a senior fellow at the Federation of American Scientists. All nine nuclear-armed states appear in current coverage: the United States, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, France, Britain, Israel, and North Korea. Recent articles examine political unrest in the Middle East, Fukushima, cybersecurity threats, and emerging technologies. The Bulletin also launched the Nuclear Fuel Cost Calculator in 2015 to analyze costs surrounding nuclear energy.
Digital Transition And Distribution
November and December 2008 marked the final print edition of the Bulletin before it became all-digital that year. SAGE Publications began publishing the subscription magazine in September 2010. Taylor & Francis took over from Sage in January 2016. Backfiles of the subscription magazine are available in the John A. Simpson Collection held by the University of Chicago Library Special Collections Research Center. The backfile from the first issue through November 1998 is free via Google Books. An e-newsletter is available without charge by signing up on the website. The journal has an impact factor of 1.9 as stated in Journal Citation Reports for 2023. It ranks 44th out of 166 journals in International Relations and 26th out of 67 in Social Issues categories. The organization publishes content at both a free-access website and a bi-monthly academic journal.
Next Generation Initiative
The publication launched its Next Generation Initiative to encourage young scholars to engage with issues like nuclear threats, climate change, artificial intelligence, and biological threats. Programs include writing workshops for graduate and undergraduate students plus the Voices of Tomorrow feature publishing articles from emerging experts. Two Voices of Tomorrow authors, Emma Bastin and Yangyang Cheng, had their work republished in Teen Vogue. The capstone of the initiative is the Leonard M. Rieser Award selected each December by the editorial team. Recipients receive $1,000 and a subscription to the bi-monthly magazine. In 2018, Erin Connolly and Kate Hewitt shared the award for their article about teaching nuclear weapons policy in schools. Recent recipients include Yangyang Cheng, Nikita Perumal, and Moritz Kütt. The program aims to educate citizens, policy makers, scientists, and journalists through non-technical scientifically sound information.
Who founded the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and when was it established?
Biophysicist Eugene Rabinowitch and physicist Hyman Goldsmith founded the organization in late 1945 immediately following the atomic bombings. Albert Einstein joined them as a founding member to lend his name and moral authority to the cause.
When did Martyl Langsdorf design the first Doomsday Clock cover for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists?
Landscape artist Martyl Langsdorf designed the first cover featuring the Doomsday Clock for the June 1947 issue of the magazine. The original setting placed the minute hand at seven minutes to midnight before any adjustments were made.
What is the current time on the Doomsday Clock maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists as of January 2025?
As of January 2025, the clock stands at 85 seconds to midnight which represents the closest approach ever recorded. The decision to move the hand is made by the Bulletin Science and Security Board during meetings held twice yearly.
Who serves as president and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists after Kennette Benedict retired in January 2015?
Rachel Bronson took over as president and CEO after longtime executive director Kennette Benedict retired in January 2015. California Governor Jerry Brown joined the organization as executive chair on the 25th of October 2018.
Which nine nuclear-armed states are included in the coverage of the Nuclear Notebook published by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists?
All nine nuclear-armed states appear in current coverage including the United States Russia China India Pakistan France Britain Israel and North Korea. Hans Kristensen and Matt Korda write the bi-monthly Nuclear Notebook tracking global nuclear arsenals.