Global Nuclear Disarmament: Could blockchain be the solution? with Dr Lyndon Burford

War Studies

We’re only ever one hour away from full scale nuclear war, a war that would be absolutely catastrophic to human welfare, the economy and the environment. With the world’s nine nuclear-armed states and their allies continuing to spend over 70 billion US dollars a year on their nuclear arsenal, where to from here for nuclear disarmament and a more peaceful world? In this episode of the podcast we talk to Dr Lyndon Burford who believes the technology blockchain may have the answers. A data storage method which stores data in a highly secure, cryptographic way, blockchain has the the potential to revolutionise the world in the same way that the internet has – changing the way in which we think about society and solving global issues, from cryptocurrency to charity donations to nuclear disarmament. Dr Burford, a Visiting Research Associate at the Centre for Science and Security Studies, King’s College London, explores the political, legal and ethical challenges of nuclear weapons, the truth behind growing nuclear stockpiles and explains how blockchain technology might work to increase trust and confidence in nuclear disarmament programmes, as well as the role new technologies in general can enable us to work towards a more peaceful future. He also talks about his fascinating career changes, from a native New Zealander landing himself a role on the set of the Lord of the Rings films as an Armour Weapons Technician to pursuing a career researching nuclear disarmament and now researching the role of new technologies for peace for Pope Francis.