Discover
/
Article

Making Weapons, Talking Peace

APR 01, 1988
A nuclear physicist and adviser to four Presidents, the author reflects on the development of nuclear weapons, the creation of a new lab to rival Los Alamos and the negotiation of the elusive comprehensive test ban treaty.
Herbert F. York

My earliest memories of public affairs include the election of Herbert Hoover, the Great Depression, the election of Franklin Roosevelt, the rise of Adolf Hitler, the Japanese invasion of China, and the Italian invasion of Ethiopia—all of which took place while I was still in grade school. They continue with the Spanish civil war, which occurred when I was in high school. The European branch of World War II started in the same month that I entered college at the University of Rochester.

This article is only available in PDF format

More about the Authors

Herbert F. York. University of California, San Diego.

Related content
/
Article
Figuring out how to communicate with the public can be overwhelming. Here’s some advice for getting started.
/
Article
Amid growing investment in planetary-scale climate intervention strategies that alter sunlight reflection, global communities deserve inclusive and accountable oversight of research.
/
Article
Although motivated by the fundamental exploration of the weirdness of the quantum world, the prizewinning experiments have led to a promising branch of quantum computing technology.
/
Article
As conventional lithium-ion battery technology approaches its theoretical limits, researchers are studying alternative architectures with solid electrolytes.
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1988_04.jpeg

Volume 41, Number 4

Get PT in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.