Topics
Topic hubs organize NukeClock coverage by conflict and policy area. Each hub collects articles, explainers, and situation reports related to a specific driver of nuclear escalation risk — from the Iran nuclear crisis and US defense policy to the broader Middle East security landscape.
Follow individual topics to track how specific conflicts and policy decisions are shifting the Doomsday Clock. Every topic page includes context, related analysis, and links to primary sources.
Popular starting points: History, Nuclear Weapons, and Oil & Energy.
Best Starting Points
If you are new to the site, these are the strongest first pages for the major topic clusters.
Iran & Nuclear Proliferation
What Are Proxy Wars?
What is a proxy war? Learn how major powers fight through partners, why this model persists, and how Iran's network affects today's Middle East escalation.
Explainer · Mar 3, 2026
Nuclear Weapons & Proliferation
Does Duck and Cover Work? What Physics Says
Does duck and cover work in a nuclear attack? It can reduce blast injuries, but only when paired with immediate indoor shelter and fallout protection.
Explainer · Apr 12, 2026
US Politics & Nuclear Policy
Does Duck and Cover Work? What Physics Says
Does duck and cover work in a nuclear attack? It can reduce blast injuries, but only when paired with immediate indoor shelter and fallout protection.
Explainer · Apr 12, 2026
Oil, Energy & Economic Disruption
What Is the Strait of Hormuz?
What is the Strait of Hormuz? A practical explainer on its geography, oil-flow importance, military vulnerability, and global economic consequences of closure.
Explainer · Mar 3, 2026
Middle East Conflict & Security
What Is Escalation Dominance?
Escalation dominance is the ability to control each rung of conflict and impose higher costs on an adversary. This explains why it drives crisis strategy.
Explainer · Mar 4, 2026
Nuclear History & Precedent Analysis
Does Duck and Cover Work? What Physics Says
Does duck and cover work in a nuclear attack? It can reduce blast injuries, but only when paired with immediate indoor shelter and fallout protection.
Explainer · Apr 12, 2026
Nuclear History & Precedent Analysis
Historical nuclear crises and Cold War precedents that clarify today’s escalation risks, decision windows, and policy tradeoffs.
34 articles · 11 explainers
🇮🇷Iran & Nuclear Proliferation
Coverage of Iran's nuclear trajectory, US-Iran military escalation, and regional spillover risks, with source-backed updates tied to NukeClock changes.
25 articles · 5 explainers · 4 sitreps
🌍Middle East Conflict & Security
Tracking the 2026 Middle East security crisis across Gulf, Levant, and Red Sea theaters, including proxy activity, force posture, and escalation signals.
21 articles · 3 explainers · 4 sitreps
☢️Nuclear Weapons & Proliferation
Analysis of global arsenals, proliferation dynamics, and deterrence doctrine, with focus on how the 2026 Iran crisis reshaped nuclear risk calculations.
18 articles · 26 explainers · 1 sitrep
🛢️Oil, Energy & Economic Disruption
Coverage of oil supply disruption, shipping chokepoints, and macroeconomic shock linked to the Hormuz blockade and broader US-Iran conflict.
5 articles · 1 explainer · 2 sitreps
🇺🇸US Politics & Nuclear Policy
US domestic politics and national-security decisions shaping nuclear risk, from war-powers fights in Congress to escalation choices in Operation Epic Fury.
45 articles · 19 explainers · 4 sitreps