Alex Wellerstein
@wellerstein.bsky.social
Nuclear historian. Professor at Stevens Institute of Technology. Visiting researcher at Nuclear Knowledges program, Sciences Po (Paris). Author of THE MOST AWFUL RESPONSIBILITY (2025). Creator of NUKEMAP. Blogging at https://doomsdaymachines.net.
Pinned
Bolt out of the blue
Kathryn Bigelow's "A House of Dynamite"
doomsdaymachines.net
By popular demand (read: maybe three people asked me) — some thoughts on Kathryn Bigelow's new film, "A House of Dynamite." TOTAL SPOILER ZONE, you have been warned! doomsdaymachines.net/p/bolt-out-o...
Reposted by Alex Wellerstein
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
Reposted by Alex Wellerstein
Hoping this helps our colleagues across the industry
November 5, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Hoping this helps our colleagues across the industry
Reposted by Alex Wellerstein
By popular demand (read: maybe three people asked me) — some thoughts on Kathryn Bigelow's new film, "A House of Dynamite." TOTAL SPOILER ZONE, you have been warned! doomsdaymachines.net/p/bolt-out-o...
Bolt out of the blue
Kathryn Bigelow's "A House of Dynamite"
doomsdaymachines.net
November 7, 2025 at 10:07 PM
By popular demand (read: maybe three people asked me) — some thoughts on Kathryn Bigelow's new film, "A House of Dynamite." TOTAL SPOILER ZONE, you have been warned! doomsdaymachines.net/p/bolt-out-o...
By popular demand (read: maybe three people asked me) — some thoughts on Kathryn Bigelow's new film, "A House of Dynamite." TOTAL SPOILER ZONE, you have been warned! doomsdaymachines.net/p/bolt-out-o...
Bolt out of the blue
Kathryn Bigelow's "A House of Dynamite"
doomsdaymachines.net
November 7, 2025 at 10:07 PM
By popular demand (read: maybe three people asked me) — some thoughts on Kathryn Bigelow's new film, "A House of Dynamite." TOTAL SPOILER ZONE, you have been warned! doomsdaymachines.net/p/bolt-out-o...
The first photo of my new book, courtesy of my editor... "The Most Awful Responsibility: Truman and the Secret Struggle for Control of the Atomic Age" comes out in early December! Feel free to pre-order it today! www.harpercollins.com/products/the...
November 6, 2025 at 10:41 AM
The first photo of my new book, courtesy of my editor... "The Most Awful Responsibility: Truman and the Secret Struggle for Control of the Atomic Age" comes out in early December! Feel free to pre-order it today! www.harpercollins.com/products/the...
I'll be doing this tomorrow!
Tomorrow at 11:30 AM CST / 12:30 PM EST, join the Bulletin for an expert discussion unpacking "A House of Dynamite"—what was real, what was exaggerated, and what would happen next.
Register for free below. ⬇️
Register for free below. ⬇️
Experts React: Netflix's A House of Dynamite
On November 6, join the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists for an expert discussion on Netflix's A House of Dynamite movie, including US capacity to defend against a direct nuclear strike, arms…
pages.thebulletin.org
November 5, 2025 at 10:22 PM
I'll be doing this tomorrow!
"All you have to do now is run the city..."
The Wire: The parable of the bowls of shit.
YouTube video by Jon B
www.youtube.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:31 AM
"All you have to do now is run the city..."
Loving this Reddit exchange about a bug in which Arthur's mouth doesn't move during a mission of Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC
November 4, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Loving this Reddit exchange about a bug in which Arthur's mouth doesn't move during a mission of Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC
The half-life of a relevant analogy: instances of the terms "atomic Pearl Harbor" and "nuclear Pearl Harbor" (combined) across the Google Books corpus using Google Ngrams. Unfortunately doing the same search for "nuclear 9/11" turns up too much OCR noise.
November 4, 2025 at 12:14 PM
The half-life of a relevant analogy: instances of the terms "atomic Pearl Harbor" and "nuclear Pearl Harbor" (combined) across the Google Books corpus using Google Ngrams. Unfortunately doing the same search for "nuclear 9/11" turns up too much OCR noise.
Reposted by Alex Wellerstein
Raid Over Moscow (Access/U.S. Gold, 1984, C64/Spectrum)
#2 for one week in March 1985
Follow-up to Beach-Head. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament protested against its insensitivity.
#2 for one week in March 1985
Follow-up to Beach-Head. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament protested against its insensitivity.
November 3, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Raid Over Moscow (Access/U.S. Gold, 1984, C64/Spectrum)
#2 for one week in March 1985
Follow-up to Beach-Head. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament protested against its insensitivity.
#2 for one week in March 1985
Follow-up to Beach-Head. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament protested against its insensitivity.
Reposted by Alex Wellerstein
US not planning nuclear explosions at this time, energy secretary says reut.rs/3JHLqNs
US not planning nuclear explosions at this time, energy secretary says
The nuclear weapons testing ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump will not involve nuclear explosions at this time, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday.
reut.rs
November 2, 2025 at 7:45 PM
US not planning nuclear explosions at this time, energy secretary says reut.rs/3JHLqNs
While I was walking my dog earlier today an older Parisian woman waiting at a bus stop chased me down the street (!) to warn me that she had seen something on TV about people using bolt cutter to steal dogs, and that I should be careful. Thanks, I guess?
October 25, 2025 at 8:39 PM
While I was walking my dog earlier today an older Parisian woman waiting at a bus stop chased me down the street (!) to warn me that she had seen something on TV about people using bolt cutter to steal dogs, and that I should be careful. Thanks, I guess?
I saw House of Dynamite on Netflix! I thought it was pretty good. Better than I expected? (I have low expectations for nuclear films.) I want to think about it some more before I write something about it for Doomsday Machines. But if you haven't seen it, it's definitely worth watching.
October 24, 2025 at 6:35 PM
I saw House of Dynamite on Netflix! I thought it was pretty good. Better than I expected? (I have low expectations for nuclear films.) I want to think about it some more before I write something about it for Doomsday Machines. But if you haven't seen it, it's definitely worth watching.
Reposted by Alex Wellerstein
![Comic. Confusion matrix showing renditions of different combinations, colored yellow, tan, or gray. [Air: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles G, light Y, sound Y, heat Y, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio Y, sharks G] [Lead: gamma rays G, neutrons T, alpha particles G, light G, Sound Y, heat Y, swords G, toxic dust T, radio G, sharks G] [Water: gamma rays T, neutrons G, alpha particles G, light T, sound Y, heat Y, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio G, sharks Y] [Vacuum: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles Y, light Y, sound G, heat T, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio Y, sharks G] [Oven mitts: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles G, light G, sound T, heat G, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio Y, sharks Y] [Armor: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles G, light G, sound Y, heat Y, swords G, toxic dust Y, radio G, sharks T] [Biohazard suit: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles G, light G, sound Y, heat Y, swords Y, toxic dust G, radio Y, sharks Y] [Faraday cage: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles Y, light Y, sound Y, heat Y, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio G, sharks Y] [Shark cage: gamma rays Y, neutrons Y, alpha particles Y, light Y, sound Y, heat Y, swords Y, toxic dust Y, radio Y, sharks G]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreib7rzofmrqb5cvnyccnb7ftj6qroxtp55i4dqqnbp2ozun6gaxbkm@jpeg)
October 23, 2025 at 8:10 PM
I happened to notice that Humble Bundle has an amazing del on the graphic novels of Kieron Gillen. I don't know all of his work, but DIE was one of the best graphic novels I read in the last couple of years — it is highly recommended! www.humblebundle.com/books/roll-f...
Humble Comic Bundle: Roll for Initiative with Kieron Gillen by Image Comics
Dive into one of comics’ most creative minds with our Kieron Gillen bundle, featuring The Wicked + The Divine, and more! Pay what you want and support BINC!
www.humblebundle.com
October 19, 2025 at 8:43 PM
I happened to notice that Humble Bundle has an amazing del on the graphic novels of Kieron Gillen. I don't know all of his work, but DIE was one of the best graphic novels I read in the last couple of years — it is highly recommended! www.humblebundle.com/books/roll-f...
Reposted by Alex Wellerstein
I was going to write something more general about Curtis LeMay, but I fell into the rabbit hole that is his bizarre memoir, “Mission with LeMay,” and felt that this was more than enough for one DOOMSDAY MACHINES post… doomsdaymachines.net/p/i-have-sou...
"I have sought to slaughter as few civilians as possible."
The rabid, apocalyptic Beat poetry that is "Mission with LeMay"
doomsdaymachines.net
October 16, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I was going to write something more general about Curtis LeMay, but I fell into the rabbit hole that is his bizarre memoir, “Mission with LeMay,” and felt that this was more than enough for one DOOMSDAY MACHINES post… doomsdaymachines.net/p/i-have-sou...
Reposted by Alex Wellerstein
![Vertical comic structured like flow chart. (1) Einstein had an insight that overturned physics, thus proving his value. (2) I hope *I* have value. I’ll try to have an insight that overturns physics, to check. (3) [Time Passes] (4) Oh no! My insight didn’t overturn physics! But I don’t think I’m worthless… [arrows to two different options] (5a) Healthy Path: Maybe this was not a well-thought-out test of my value. (5b) Path of Ruin: The establishment must be *suppressing* my insight!](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreihhxykbw72fblbjeupqscutarbdowk73mhsdkqrtzjwrpzqzamjem@jpeg)
October 16, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Reposted by Alex Wellerstein
US Academia Be Like
October 16, 2025 at 6:38 PM
US Academia Be Like
I was going to write something more general about Curtis LeMay, but I fell into the rabbit hole that is his bizarre memoir, “Mission with LeMay,” and felt that this was more than enough for one DOOMSDAY MACHINES post… doomsdaymachines.net/p/i-have-sou...
"I have sought to slaughter as few civilians as possible."
The rabid, apocalyptic Beat poetry that is "Mission with LeMay"
doomsdaymachines.net
October 16, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I was going to write something more general about Curtis LeMay, but I fell into the rabbit hole that is his bizarre memoir, “Mission with LeMay,” and felt that this was more than enough for one DOOMSDAY MACHINES post… doomsdaymachines.net/p/i-have-sou...
I like all of these but I think mine might be (and only 3 words): DROP & RUN
In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
rm -rf ~/
rm -rf ~/
"The chancellor approved it"
October 12, 2025 at 12:26 PM
I like all of these but I think mine might be (and only 3 words): DROP & RUN
oh Luxembourg. what have you done?
October 11, 2025 at 6:54 PM
oh Luxembourg. what have you done?
I updated my post with one more graph — converting those fissile material numbers to "weapon equivalents," including different possibilities for composite core weapons.
October 11, 2025 at 12:01 PM
I updated my post with one more graph — converting those fissile material numbers to "weapon equivalents," including different possibilities for composite core weapons.
This took longer to put together than I thought it would, but I finally wrote up a long post on the inventories of highly-enriched uranium and separated plutonium produced during the Manhattan Project. I think I have the exact-ish numbers, finally... blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2025/10/10/m...
Manhattan Project fissile material inventories
Reconstructing the quantities of enriched uranium and plutonium produced during the Manhattan Project.
blog.nuclearsecrecy.com
October 10, 2025 at 8:10 PM
This took longer to put together than I thought it would, but I finally wrote up a long post on the inventories of highly-enriched uranium and separated plutonium produced during the Manhattan Project. I think I have the exact-ish numbers, finally... blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2025/10/10/m...
In Luxembourg for the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT) annual meeting at the University of Luxembourg at Belval. Which used to be a steel mill? Huh.
October 10, 2025 at 6:31 AM
In Luxembourg for the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT) annual meeting at the University of Luxembourg at Belval. Which used to be a steel mill? Huh.
My goal is to live long enough for conservatives to start arguing that Trump was actually a liberal Communist...
October 7, 2025 at 10:18 PM
My goal is to live long enough for conservatives to start arguing that Trump was actually a liberal Communist...