The article first evaluates the chances of accidental/unauthorized nuclear detonation. Most interestingly, the article lists 16 of the "more dramatic" incidents with live nuclear weapons. (Some incidents are still redacted.)
The article then discusses how nuclear risk was perceived by Soviets and Allies. And what the likely responses would be in case of an actual unauthorized detonation.
The article concludes by discussing potential solutions to mitigate risks of future nuclear detonations, including changes to a) the handling of nuclear weapons, b) the missile command structure, and c) the selection and supervision of personnel.
This is the third in a sequence of posts taken from my recent report: Why Did Environmentalism Become Partisan?
Summary
Rising partisanship did not make environmentalism more popular or politically effective. Instead, it saw flat or falling overall public opinion, fewer major legislative achievements, and fluctuating executive actions.
Public Opinion...
This post presents the executive summary from Giving What We Can’s impact evaluation for 2025. At the end of this post we share links to more information, including the full report and...
