Nuclear Issues and Defense
Nuclear Issues and Defense is a research topic within Political Science and International Relations. Science Explorer counts 13k research works in it since 1950. 19.7% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers explores the potential consequences of nuclear war, including its impact on climate, global food security, environmental devastation, and public health. It also delves into discussions around arms control, nuclear winter, and strategies for reducing the risks associated with nuclear conflicts. The papers highlight the urgent need to address the complex challenges posed by nuclear weapons and their potential for catastrophic global effects.
- Nuclear War
- Climate Consequences
- Global Catastrophes
- Food Insecurity
- Environmental Impact
- Human Security
- Arms Control
- Nuclear Winter
- Global Famine
- Public Health
- Research works
- 13k fractional, since 1950
- In the world top 10%
- 2.6k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 19.7% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- +45% the tick is no change
Which countries lead Nuclear Issues and Defense research?
By volume, the United States and Russia publish the most (511 and 336 works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 United States 511 works
- 2 Russia 336 works
- 3 United Kingdom 186 works
- 4 Ukraine 95 works
- 5 Germany 75 works
- 6 China 58 works
- 7 France 52 works
- 8 Australia 48 works
- 9 Canada 47 works
- 10 India 47 works
How concentrated that is
The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead Nuclear Issues and Defense research?
By volume in 2022–2025, King's College London publishes the most Nuclear Issues and Defense research, followed by Institute of World Economy and International Relations and Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 King's College LondonUnited Kingdom 20 works
- 2 Institute of World Economy and International RelationsRussia 20 works
- 3 Moscow State Institute of International RelationsRussia 13 works
- 4 Russian Academy of SciencesRussia 13 works
- 5 Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityRussia 11 works
- 6 Australian National UniversityAustralia 10 works
- 7 Sandia National LaboratoriesUnited States 9 works
- 8 Weatherford CollegeUnited States 9 works
- 9 National Research University Higher School of EconomicsRussia 9 works
- 10 Institut d'Etudes Politiques de ParisFrance 9 works
Who are the leading researchers in Nuclear Issues and Defense?
The most-cited researchers publishing on Nuclear Issues and Defense include James A. Russell, Hans A. Bethe and E. P. Wigner.
- 1 James A. Russell United States 5k citations
- 2 Hans A. Bethe United States 3.1k citations
- 3 E. P. Wigner United States 2.8k citations
- 4 Morton Deutsch United States 2.4k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is Nuclear Issues and Defense research done?
The largest centres of Nuclear Issues and Defense research in 2022–2025 are Moscow (Russia), London (United Kingdom), Washington D.C. (United States) and Kyiv (Ukraine). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Yekaterinburg and Moscow.
Largest cities, 2022–2025
- 1 Moscow Russia 194 works
- 2 London United Kingdom 60 works
- 3 Washington D.C. United States 52 works
- 4 Kyiv Ukraine 50 works
- 5 Saint Petersburg Russia 36 works
- 6 New York United States 28 works
- 7 Paris France 28 works
- 8 Beijing China 23 works
- 9 Yekaterinburg Russia 20 works
- 10 Seoul South Korea 20 works
Where it is the local speciality
- YekaterinburgRU · 20.1 works10×
- MoscowRU · 194.4 works9.0×
Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Nuclear Issues and Defense than the world average.
Where is the best place to study Nuclear Issues and Defense?
Among universities, judged by research, King's College London, Moscow State Institute of International Relations and Lomonosov Moscow State University score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King's College LondonUnited Kingdom | 96.5 | 23.5% | 13.3× | 20 | +402.2% |
| 2 | Moscow State Institute of International RelationsRussia | 67.9 | 14.6% | 37.0× | 13 | +334.7% |
| 3 | Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityRussia | 58.6 | 15.7% | 6.0× | 11 | +319.9% |
| 4 | Australian National UniversityAustralia | 58.1 | 16.3% | 10.2× | 10 | -34.3% |
| 5 | Ural Federal UniversityRussia | 55.1 | 17.3% | 13.4× | 8 | — |
| 6 | National Research University Higher School of EconomicsRussia | 52.3 | 17.8% | 10.5× | 9 | -34.8% |
| 7 | Weatherford CollegeUnited States | 21.9 | 14.7% | 3.3× | 9 | -70.1% |
Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.
Is Nuclear Issues and Defense research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 45% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2025. The fastest-growing topics are Nuclear Issues and Defense.
The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.
Which topics inside it are moving
Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.