Listen "Episode 80. Soviet Nuclear Program: Thomas Cochran"
Episode Synopsis
Today we focus on the Soviet nuclear program with Thomas Cochran. Tom directed nuclear disarmament projects at the Natural Resources Defense Council from 1973 until his retirement in 2016. He has received numerous awards for his work on nuclear disarmament, including the public service award from the Federation of American Scientists and the Szilard Award from the American Physical Society, both in 1987. Tom was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1989, and, due to his work, the Natural Resources Defense Council received the AAAS Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award that same year. Today we discuss the Soviet nuclear weapons program, from Stalin finding out about the bomb to Gorbachev’s unilateral test moratorium. Tom played key roles in the seismic monitoring experiment, visits by US Congressional delegations to sensitive Soviet military installations, the Black Sea experiment, and other adventures in nuclear de-escalation.
More episodes of the podcast Science History Podcast
Episode 97. Forever Chemicals: Sharon Udasin
10/12/2025
Episode 96. The Weather: Simon Winchester
11/11/2025
Episode 95. The River War: James Muller
11/10/2025
Episode 94. Lead Poisoning: Bruce Lanphear
11/09/2025
Episode 92. ATSDR: Jaimi Dowdell
12/07/2025
Episode 91. Political Bias: Bill von Hippel
11/06/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.