About FAS 

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) was founded in 1945 by scientists who had worked on the Manhattan Project to develop the first atomic bombs. These scientists recognized that science had become central to many key public policy questions. They believed that scientists had a unique responsibility to both warn the public and policy leaders of potential dangers from scientific and technical advances and to show how good policy could increase the benefits of new scientific knowledge.

In this video Nobel Prize winner Hans Bethe, one of the founders of FAS and most influential physicists of the 20th century, reflects on his feeling of devastation on seeing pictures of Hiroshima and explains how and why the Federation of American Scientists was created.

With Nobel Laureates on its Board of Sponsors, FAS provides timely, nonpartisan technical analysis on complex global issues that hinge on science and technology. Priding itself on agility and an ability to bring together people from many disciplines and organizations, the organization often addresses critical policy topics that are not well covered by other organizations.

FAS projects are organized under four main program areas:

• Biosecurity
• Earth Systems 
• Educational Technologies   
• Strategic Security 

To learn more, please read the 2007 FAS Annual Report.  

* Video by Peoples Archive.

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