Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Aims & Scope

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists engages science leaders, policy makers, and the interested public on topics of nuclear weapons and disarmament, climate change, growing energy demands, and disruptive technologies.

It has been published continuously since 1945, when it was founded by former Manhattan Project physicists after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists of Chicago.

One of the driving forces behind the creation of the Bulletin was the amount of public interest surrounding atomic energy at the dawn of the atomic age.

To convey the particular peril posed by nuclear weapons, the Bulletin devised the Doomsday Clock in 1947.

The Doomsday Clock appeared on the Bulletin’s first cover when it transitioned from a newsletter to a magazine.

Its original setting was seven minutes to midnight.

The Clock, now set at two minutes to midnight, is recognized as a universal symbol of threats to humanity from a variety of sources: nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, climate change, and disruptive technologies.

View Aims & Scope

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Metrics & Ranking

Impact Factor

Year	Value
2025	2.3
2024	1.90

Journal Rank

Year	Value
2024	7319

Journal Citation Indicator

Year	Value
2024	162

SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

Year	Value
2024	0.755

Quartile

Year	Value
2024	Q1

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Abstracting & Indexing

Journal is indexed in leading academic databases, ensuring global visibility and accessibility of our peer-reviewed research.

• Scopus
• Google Scholar
• Web of Science

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Subjects & Keywords

Journal’s research areas, covering key disciplines and specialized sub-topics in Social Sciences, designed to support cutting-edge academic discovery.

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Most Cited Articles

The Most Cited Articles section features the journal's most impactful research, based on citation counts. These articles have been referenced frequently by other researchers, indicating their significant contribution to their respective fields.

• 20 reasons why geoengineering may be a bad idea

  Citation: 300

  Authors: Alan, Kirsten, Martin

• Critique

  Citation: 222

  Authors: Paul R., John P.

• There is no Plan B for dealing with the climate crisis

  Citation: 202

  Authors: Raymond

• The Military in the Political Development of New Nations

  Citation: 161

  Authors: Morris

• Can nuclear weapons fallout mark the beginning of the Anthropocene Epoch?

  Citation: 146

  Authors: Colin N., James P. M., Agnieszka, Gary J., Jan, Alejandro, Jacques, Catherine, J. R., Colin, Anthony

• The Philosophy of Niels Bohr

  Citation: 136

  Authors: Aage

• Battling to Save the World’s River Deltas

  Citation: 132

  Authors: Charles J., James, John, Alex, Liviu, Chris

• Fukushima in review: A complex disaster, a disastrous response

  Citation: 123

  Authors: Yoichi, Kay

• Race and Intelligence

  Citation: 118

  Authors: Richard C.

• Climate change: Why the conspiracy theories are dangerous

  Citation: 116

  Authors: Karen M., Robbie M.

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