Is the world entering a new age of nuclear testing? episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 17, 2025 · 27 MIN

Is the world entering a new age of nuclear testing?

from The Global Story · host BBC World Service

In the last 72 hours, comments from President Trump and his administration have sparked fresh debate about whether the US could – or should – resume the kind of nuclear weapons tests that were halted over 30 years ago.The current debate centres on whether Trump plans to test nuclear delivery systems, such as missiles, or nuclear warheads. The latter would be a major reversal of a long-standing policy, as the US has not tested a nuclear warhead since 1992, but it’s unclear what the plans involve.Today, Tristan speaks to Serhii Plokhy, a history professor at Harvard and author of The Nuclear Age, about what it would mean to return to an era of nuclear testing.Producers: Viv Jones, Xandra Ellin, Aron KellerExecutive producer: James ShieldMix: Travis EvansSenior news editor: China CollinsPhoto: Mushroom cloud rises during Operation Crossroads nuclear weapons test. Reuters

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Nov 17, 2025

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Is the world entering a new age of nuclear testing?

0:00 27:00

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Global Story?

This episode is 27 minutes long.

When was this The Global Story episode published?

This episode was published on November 17, 2025.

Can I download this The Global Story episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!