Eighty years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the threat of nuclear war looms larger than ever. The origins of the atomic bomb can be traced to a secret memorandum written in Britain in 1940, which outlined the devastating potential of nuclear weapons. Since then, nuclear arsenals have grown exponentially, with modern warheads far surpassing the destructive power of those used in the Second World War.

Today, nine countries possess nuclear weapons, and several more are seeking them. The global stockpile is dominated by the United States and Russia, but other nations are rapidly expanding or modernizing their arsenals. Efforts to reduce nuclear risks have stalled, and international agreements are under strain as geopolitical tensions rise.

Experts warn that the current fragmented and unstable global landscape, combined with new risks such as artificial intelligence and climate change, has made the threat of nuclear conflict more acute than during previous crises. The work of early disarmament campaigners remains unfinished, as the world faces a precarious and uncertain nuclear future.