Join world-renowned economist and Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs for lively conversations with the authors of scintillating, inspiring and remarkab...
Season 4, Episode 6: Jon Wolfsthal; Federation of American Scientists, Doomsday Clock
Send us a textJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and global security expert Jon Wolfsthal to unravel the stark reality behind the Doomsday Clock - now set at a perilous 89 seconds to midnight. What does this ominous timepiece truly measure, and why has humanity never been closer to catastrophe? Wolfsthal offers a behind-the-scenes look at the decision-making process that determines the clock’s position and insights into how and if we can move the clock further away from midnight. Together, they dive deep into the rising threats of nuclear war, climate change, AI-driven warfare, and biological risks, exposing the fragile state of global security. The conversation traces the history of the clock—from moments of de-escalation, like the Cold War’s end, to the unraveling of arms control agreements and the resurgence of dangerous geopolitical tensions. But it’s not all doom and gloom—this episode also lays out real, actionable solutions to push back from the brink and build a safer future. Can world leaders act in time, or are we sleepwalking into disaster? Tune in for a crucial discussion on humanity’s future—before it’s too late.Footnotes:Doomsday ClockBulletin of Atomic Scientists Einstein and the Nuclear Arms RaceTreaty on the Prohibition Nuclear WeaponsIvana Nikolić HughesNuclear WeaponOppenheimer Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty JFK Peace SpeechCuban Missile CrisisBiowarfareAlpha Fold Nobel Prize Dual-use TechnologyBiosafety Level Genetic EngineeringDisruptive TechnologiesTruman and OppenheimerAegis Ballistic Missile Defense System⭐️ Thank you for listening!➡️ Sign up for the newsletter: https://bit.ly/subscribeBCJS➡️ Website: bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org 🎉 Don't forget to subscribe and share your favorite episode with your friends! 📣 Leave a rating and tell us what you thought about this episode!
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Season 4, Episode 5: Eugene Rogan, The Arabs: A History
Send us a textJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and historian Eugene Rogan, professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at Oxford, as they delve into the complex history of the Arab world, from the Ottoman conquest in 1516 to today’s geopolitical crises of the modern Middle East. Through the lens of his acclaimed book The Arabs: A History, Rogan brilliantly examines the long history of foreign domination, the rise of Arab nationalism, the roles of Europe and the US as outside powers, and the unresolved conflicts shaping the Middle East until today. Together, they offer us a masterclass in history that sheds light on the urgent questions of war, power, and the possibility of peace in the region. From Ottoman rule to European colonialism, the impact of the Balfour Declaration, and the ongoing Israeli Palestinian conflict, the conversation provides crucial historical context for today’s challenges.The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.Footnotes:ZionistPalestine and Israel ConflictBritish Mandate for PalestineBalfour DeclarationCapture of Cairo (1517)PotentatesFly WhiskPanic of 1819Creditor NationSovereigntyWorld War IConstantinople AgreementThe Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle EastBalkan WarsKing Krane CommissionWhite Paper of 1939Ethnic Cleansing⭐️ Thank you for listening!➡️ Sign up for the newsletter: https://bit.ly/subscribeBCJS➡️ Website: bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org 🎉 Don't forget to subscribe and share your favorite episode with your friends! 📣 Leave a rating and tell us what you thought about this episode!
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Season 4, Episode 4: Annie Jacobsen, Nuclear War: A Scenario
Send us a textJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and award-winning journalist Annie Jacobsen as they discuss Jacobsen’s chilling and rigorous depiction of nuclear war in her groundbreaking book, Nuclear War: A Scenario. With meticulous research and interviews with military and political insiders, Jacobsen takes us through a riveting, heart-pounding, second-by-second scenario of a world-ending nuclear war. From the technological aspects of nuclear weapons and missile defense systems to the horrifying and total incapacity of modern society to survive a nuclear onslaught, Jacobsen depicts the razor-thin margin separating us from catastrophe.Together, they delve into the sobering realities behind nuclear war games, miscalculated missile strikes, and the relentless risks of omnicidal escalation that history and simulations reveal. They reflect on the lessons of Cold War diplomacy, near-miss incidents, and past disarmament efforts. This conversation isn’t just a wake-up call—it’s a rallying cry to face and address the ultimate existential threat of our age: nuclear war. Tune in for a discussion that is as riveting as it is vital.The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.Footnotes:Nuclear WarAmerican Security StateUS Weapons SystemsThe Pentagon's BrainOperation Paperclip Doomsday ClockSTRATCOMInterceptor MissileThe Effects of Nuclear WeaponsNuclear Electromagnetic PulseThermonuclear WeaponIvy Mike BombRichard GarwinTheodore PostolBolt Out of the Blue AttackAmericas Satellite System Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty⭐️ Thank you for listening!➡️ Sign up for the newsletter: https://bit.ly/subscribeBCJS➡️ Website: bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org 🎉 Don't forget to subscribe and share your favorite episode with your friends! 📣 Leave a rating and tell us what you thought about this episode!
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Season 4, Episode 3: Prof. Glenn Diesen, The Ukraine War and the Eurasian World Order
Send us a textJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and political scientist Glenn Diesen as they discuss Professor Diesen’s new book, The Ukraine War & the Eurasian World Order. Professor Diesen explains Europe’s fractured security framework which he believes has steered the continent toward conflict with no clear way to reverse course. The conversation focuses on Ukraine - a nation itself divided within a divided Europe, and a pivotal piece in the deadly geopolitical chess game between NATO and Russia.Together, they dissect the high-stakes battle between NATO and Russia, where compromise has so far been impossible, and yet where the potential consequences of escalation are catastrophic, up to nuclear war. Join in as they unpack the dynamics of a rapidly changing world order and what these changes portend for the future of war and peace, geopolitics, and global governance.The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.⭐️ Thank you for listening!➡️ Sign up for the newsletter: https://bit.ly/subscribeBCJS➡️ Website: bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org 🎉 Don't forget to subscribe and share your favorite episode with your friends! 📣 Leave a rating and tell us what you thought about this episode!
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Season 4, Episode 2: Dennis Fritz, Deadly Betrayal: The Truth About Why the United States Invaded Iraq
Send us a textJoin Professor Jeffrey Sachs and retired Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Dennis Fritz, a former Pentagon insider, as they explore the extremely important insights in Fritz’s new book, Deadly Betrayal, which uncovers the ugly truths behind the Iraq War in 2003. Drawing from dramatic evidence, Fritz explains how a group of high-level Pentagon officials (a “cabal” in Fritz’s description) in the Bush Jr. Administration manipulated intelligence, pressured other nations, and swayed Congress and public to support a disastrous war. Together, they delve into the astounding evidence that Fritz uncovered during his work at the Pentagon while examining the documentary record of the war. Fritz discovered three reasons for the utterly misguided Iraq War: to restore American “credibility” in the Middle East, to go to war on Israel’s behalf, and to deliver “democracy” at gunpoint. The results were a massive failure on all counts. The lessons of the Iraq War remain crucial for our own time, as various lobbies continue to try to manipulate the US into still more unnecessary and reckless wars.The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.⭐️ Thank you for listening!➡️ Sign up for the newsletter: https://bit.ly/subscribeBCJS➡️ Website: bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org 🎉 Don't forget to subscribe and share your favorite episode with your friends! 📣 Leave a rating and tell us what you thought about this episode!
Join world-renowned economist and Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs for lively conversations with the authors of scintillating, inspiring and remarkably important books about history, social justice, and the challenges of building a decent world. Learn more and get involved at bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org. The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, an initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Produced by Karena Joslin. Audio editing by Matt Rocker, theme song composed by Matt Rocker, performed by Dave Eggar. A kontentreal production.
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