The end of the Cold War in 1991 brought about the fall of the Berlin Wall, the reunification of Germany and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, it did not eliminate the threat of nuclear war. However, the 1987 INF Treaty and later the START Treaty signed by US President George H.W. Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev on July 31, 1991, had good intentions to limit the number of Intercontinental Ballistic Missles (ICBMs), Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs), and heavy bombers (collectively “strategic delivery vehicles”) each country could possess.
“Conscious that nuclear war would have devastating consequences for all humanity, that it cannot be won and must never be fought,
Convinced that the measures for the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms and the other obligations set forth in this Treaty will help to reduce the risk of outbreak of nuclear war and strengthen international peace and security…”. – Introduction to the START Treaty
Licorne test, 1971, French Polynesia. Photo:The Official CTBTO Photostream/UN File
Given recent conflicts throughout world coupled with intimidation between states possessing nuclear weapons including the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and possibly Israel, is it conceivable that humanity is heading into a cold(er) war, a new nuclear age?
2025 commemorated the 80th Anniversary of the first nuclear test, code-named Trinity, which occurred on July 16, 1945. During the 2023 “Summer of Oppenheimer”, I serendipitously met Brye Steeves, Director National Security Research Center at Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Charles Oppenheimer with his family at his grandfather’s (J. Robert Oppenheimer) house on Bathtub Row in Los Alamos. Through Mr. Oppenheimer, I was able to learn more about the Oppenheimer Project, which is “committed to honoring the legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer and advancing a safer future in the face of technological change”. The central idea to the Oppenheimer Project is to promote nuclear disarmament and advance nuclear energy initiatives. In a Time article published August 17, 2025, Oppenheimer states, “the nuclear renaissance is here. From powering the development of nations in the global south while lowering carbon emissions to potentially curing cancer through repurposing nuclear reactor waste, nuclear energy is already being used for peaceful purposes. However, we have not fully explored the peaceful potential of nuclear energy.” Oppenheimer proposes to 1) explore the untapped potential of nuclear energy, 2) revitalize philanthropists and foundations who are willing to fund a new generation of innovative thinkers, and 3) maximize global abundance by collaborating on the peaceful applications of nuclear energy.
I hope that nuclear war will never become a reality. I recently listened to a RadioLab podcast, Double Blasted, which details a personal account of Tsutomu Yamaguchi who in August 1945 was directly impacted by the atomic bomb fallout on the morning of August 6 in Hiroshima and then again three days later as he traveled to Nagasaki to escape the destruction left by the first atomic bomb. The story is unimaginable as Yamaguchi is “double blasted” and his journey to overcome the trauma and long-lasting effects of the first nuclear bombs. It is a truly remarkable story, and I encourage you to listen by clicking the link above.
Non-Violence by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd. UN File Photo/Michos Tzovaras
I have been searching for resources to learn more on how I can make a difference. The United Nations (UN) has established August 29 as International Day Against Nuclear Tests and September 26 as International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons to bring awareness and set nuclear disarmament as a top priority. In 2019, the UN also established Youth4Disarmament , an “initiative to connect geographically diverse young people with experts to learn about current international security challenges, the work of the United Nations and how they can actively participate”. In fact, The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) working with the Youth4Disarmament recently hosted an online program titled Atomic Bomb Survivor Stories Through Art and offers Disarmament Toolkit certificate courses through a series of expert briefings, real-world examples, and interactive exercises. These programs empower global youth with educational resources to affect change in their communities.
I would like to think that the new nuclear age is a nuclear renaissance as described by Charles Oppenheimer with opportunities for an unlimited, renewable energy resource available for everyone. I plan to explore nuclear energy in future posts to follow. Stay tuned!
