Nuclear Countdown, or, Why We Need to Start Worrying and Stop the Bomb
Current Affairs29 Jul 2024

Nuclear Countdown, or, Why We Need to Start Worrying and Stop the Bomb

Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs!

Nuclear weapons are always lurking there in the background, out in remote places where we don't have to think about them, but ready to be fired at any time. Journalist Sarah Scoles was interested to find out more about the people who maintain the system of nuclear weapons. What do they do and how do they explain it to themselves? In a very real sense, they have to spend their days preparing to commit the worst imaginable genocide, should the need arise. It's eerie and disturbing to realize how quickly an unprecedented horror could take place, and how much depends on having sane and competent world leaders.

Today Sarah joins to discuss her book Countdown: The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons and what she learned about nuclear war and the systems that make it a terrifyingly real possibility.

For more on this topic, see these Current Affairs articles:

Taking World War III Seriously

Why It's So Hard to Face the Threat Posed By Nuclear Weapons

Pretending It Isn't There

Sarah's book was reviewed here in the New York Times.

Episoder(600)

The Democrats Still Don't Get It

The Democrats Still Don't Get It

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Trump's fake-anti-imperialism only works because Democrats refuse to embrace the real thing. 🌹 Rea...

10 Mar 15min

The Iran War Is Unfathomably Depraved

The Iran War Is Unfathomably Depraved

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership  Our media’s sanitized coverage obscures the human toll. Are we able to confront the full sickening...

7 Mar 37min

Wait, Why Is Israel Allowed To Have Nukes?

Wait, Why Is Israel Allowed To Have Nukes?

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership  According to our elected leaders, we should be very scared of the possibility that Iran could get ...

4 Mar 24min

The U.S. Military is Destroying the Planet (w/ Abby Martin)

The U.S. Military is Destroying the Planet (w/ Abby Martin)

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership In their new documentary “Earth’s Greatest Enemy,” Abby Martin and Mike Prysner reveal that the cli...

2 Mar 42min

How the Cold War Changed Everything (w/ Daniel Bessner)

How the Cold War Changed Everything (w/ Daniel Bessner)

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Daniel Bessner is a historian and professor at the University of Washington’s Henry M. Jackson Scho...

28 Feb 45min

The Left is Always Right Too Early

The Left is Always Right Too Early

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership  From slavery and child labor in the 19th century to the Iraq War and Gaza, the Left position has b...

25 Feb 18min

Current Affairs News Briefing ❧ February 20, 2026

Current Affairs News Briefing ❧ February 20, 2026

A convoy to Cuba, Grok doxxes a sex worker,  Mamdani cuts the library, Pakistan has really fast jets, MGP declares war on sea lions, Andrew is arrested, and bugs are more popular than Trump. 📰 SUBSCR...

21 Feb 7min

Abigail Thorn of Philosophy Tube on Parasocial Relationships

Abigail Thorn of Philosophy Tube on Parasocial Relationships

Abigail Thorn is an actor, writer, and the creator of the widely acclaimed YouTube channel Philosophy Tube, where she explores politics, culture, and philosophy through performance and storytelling. S...

6 Feb 29min

Populært innen Humor

rss-spartsklubben
papaya
enkel-servering
harm-og-hegseth
tusvik-tnne
storefri-med-mikkel-og-herman
tore-og-haralds-podkast
topp-3-med-wold-og-fladseth
folk-flest-med-linn-og-nils
ma-pa-behandling-med-morten-ramm
mikkels-paskenotter
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
misjonen-med-antonsen-og-golden
rss-snorre-med-gaute
wolfgang-wee-uncut
hanna-de-heldige
jan-thomas-og-einar-blir-venner
verdens-verste
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
rss-det-alle-snakker-om-med-siri-og-kim