Managing the Atom

Work on “taboo” weapons often studies one system. In new @JPR_journal research w/@david_m_allison, @Lauren_Sukin, we use an experiment to compare how the U.S. public weighs weapon choice, casualties, & effectiveness across six weapon types. #OpenAccess: doi.org/10.1093/jopres…

1/4 As the Trump administration’s “What about China?” nuclear arms control agenda for a New START follow-on unfolds, here’s a 2020 throwback. @BulletinAtomic @david_m_allison Link here: doi.org/10.1080/009634…

Some thoughts from Prof. Matthew Bunn as New START expires harvardmagazine.com/five-questions…

Steven Miller and Toni Erskine introduce the Special Issue on “AI and the Decision to Go to War,” outlining how existing AI technologies may shape state decisions on the use of force through automated self-defense and AI-enabled decision-support systems. cambridge.org/core/journals/…

In a column for The Hill, Prof Matthew Bunn warns that the Feb 5 expiration of New START risks a nuclear arms race and urges the Trump administration to seize a proposed U.S.–Russia “strategic pause” as a gateway to broader nuclear restraint talks. belfercenter.org/research-analy…

Join us for a Book Talk with Erik Lin-Greenberg on his newly released book "Remote Revolution: Drones and Modern Statecraft", next Monday, February 2nd at 1:30 PM EST --belfercenter.org/event/remote-r…

Take a look at MTA / ISP Research Fellow Spenser Warren's recent article in War on the Rocks: warontherocks.com/2026/01/greenl…

On January 26, MTA will resume its weekly seminar series with a featured discussion led by Adam Mount on his recently published article in International Security: belfercenter.org/event/conventi…

1/5 Great news! Atomic Backfires: When Nuclear Policies Fail is now #OpenAccess so that everyone can read it online. Thanks to generous support from @mitpress Direct to Open (D20). @ManagingtheAtom doi.org/10.7551/mitpre…

1/7 NEW ARTICLE: I published #OpenAccess in @TheNonproReview on the institutional design of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). My article reconsiders what “success” for the #NuclearBan might look like now. doi.org/10.1080/107367…

1/2 @TheNonproReview has published a second special issue dedicated to the Beyond Nuclear Deterrence (BND) Working Group. In the #OpenAccess intro, @DrElbahtimy, Rebecca Davis Gibbons, & I review 2 years of BND publications, activities, & challenges. doi.org/10.1080/107367…

MTA is thrilled to announce the publication of a new book! Edited by our visiting scholar @HerzogSM and alumni @GDavidArceneaux @afwpetrovics for @mitpress. It discusses cases when well-intentioned nuclear policies may actually make problems worse. mitpress.mit.edu/9780262051859/…

1/7 It's book publication day! "Atomic Backfires: When Nuclear Policies Fail" is out now with major booksellers from @mitpress in @BelferCenter's Studies in International Security. Contents and discount codes described in this thread. @ManagingtheAtom mitpress.mit.edu/9780262051859/…

MTA Visiting Scholar @HerzogSM & alum @david_m_allison won a Best Paper 2025 Award from @SocRiskAnalysis for work on the AI-nuclear proliferation nexus. The prize honors papers w/ "the most significant impacts on the theory or practice of risk analysis.” doi.org/10.1111/risa.7…

1/6 I co-edited a new special issue of @TheNonproReview w/@DrElbahtimy & Rebecca Davis Gibbons featuring research from the @macfound & @ManagingtheAtom Beyond Nuclear Deterrence Working Group. Our introduction to the issue is here (#OpenAccess): tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10…

MTA Associate & MIT Senior Researcher @mbudjeryn was featured on CNN to discuss the damage to the Chernobyl confinement structure: video.snapstream.net/Play/6rgJDF7Zv…

To purchase Dr. Zhang's book, please use this link: mitpress.mit.edu/9780262051828/…

Next Tuesday, Dec. 9, join us at @CarnegieEndow for a discussion with Dr. Hui Zhang on his newly released book "The Untold Story of China’s Nuclear Weapons", moderated by Dr. Tong Zhao carnegieendowment.org/events/2025/11…

The first of two special issues is live on research from the Beyond Nuclear Deterrence Working Group @BelferCenter @ManagingtheAtom @macfound. Read the #OpenAccess intro to the project by group co-chairs @DrElbahtimy, Rebecca Davis Gibbons, & @HerzogSM: tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10…

1/5 My article w/@david_m_allison on how AI might enable nuclear weapons (non)proliferation has been added to the latest issue of Risk Analysis @SocRiskAnalysis (after appearing online first). Check it out #OpenAccess: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ri…