More than forty years since the Erice Statement: the role of scientists in nuclear risk reduction

In 1982, the Erice Statement, written in Erice in 1982 by Paul A. M. Dirac, Piotr Kapitza and Antonino Zichichi, and that in the following years was signed by more than 100 000 scientists, attracting the attention of World leaders, emphasized the role of science and scientists in reducing nuclear risk and as a vehicle for peace. Today, the arms control treaty system is in deep crisis and we are witnessing a new development of nuclear weapons. In this presentation, stimulated by the 2023 Erice Statement Addendum and by the American Physical Society initiative to involve physicists more in efforts to reduce nuclear risk, the basic technical aspects of nuclear weapons and the historical evolution of arms control treaties up to the current situation will be discussed, emphasizing the role of scientists in reducing nuclear risk.