At The Brink

About the Project

New York Times Opinion’s “At the Brink” explores the state of nuclear weapons and the heavy cost the world pays for living on the edge of nuclear destruction. The work is the culmination of nearly a year of reporting and research. The series probes the sources and severity of the nuclear dangers and what can be done to make the world safer.

There is no precedent for the complexity of our nuclear era. The bipolarity of the Cold War gave way to a great-power competition with newly emerging nations. The latest generation of nuclear technology would inflict unspeakable devastation. Artificial intelligence could someday automate war without human intervention. No one can confidently predict how or if deterrence will work under these dynamics or even what strategic stability could look like. We need a new commitment to what could be years of diplomatic talks to establish new terms of engagement.

The nuclear safety net may be threadbare, but it can be repaired. Washington must marshal international support for this mission — but it also requires leading by example.

We knew, in undertaking this project, that the journalism should begin with a visceral appeal to readers. We also knew that the devastating effects of nuclear war could not be taken lightly. We spent months mocking up storyboards with animation, design and other visuals that would capture our audiences while not terrifying them. We aimed to draw audiences into the arguments and realities without leaving them exhausted. The results and reader responses have shown us that we maintained respect for the complicated terrain while stressing the urgent need for action.

Each essay immersed readers into the deteriorating nuclear security environment, scrutinized existing policies, and offered ways for nations — and its citizenry — to drive practical changes toward arms control.

W.J. Hennigan described how we may have narrowly avoided mutual destruction thus far, but we’ve already had a nuclear war: The blitz of testing has left a wake of illness, displacement and destruction, often to people in remote locations where their marginalized communities had no say over what happened on their own land. Audiences can scroll through text and video, featuring testimonials on what these people continue to endure.

In a beautifully designed photo essay, published on the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, we told the story of survivors. Kathleen Kingsbury and Mr. Hennigan also recorded an audio episode about their experiences meeting survivors in Japan.

It all comes at a hefty price tag for Americans and the weaponry is only getting more advanced. An editorial offered ways President Trump could bring the country back from the brink.

Democracy may not prevent war, but it can serve as a check on it. Citizens should exert their influence well before the country finds itself in a nuclear showdown. Times Opinion created this powerful journalism around the basic idea that the next generation should not inherit a world more dangerous than the one we were given.