The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
Nuclear energy provides 19% of electricity in the United States—carbon-free. But the existing nuclear power plants are under economic pressure due in part to competition from cheaper wind and natural gas-based electricity. Can nuclear power be relied upon to be a major factor in mitigating climate change? Is there a bright future for nuclear power? The views presented in this seminar will in part be based on Dr. Allison Macfarlane's experiences while Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.