Read more about the article Too much information, too little IAEA: How can OSINT contribute to Nuclear Verification?​
Abstract Representation of Open-source intelligence (OSINT). AI generated image (using NightCafe’s HiDream I1 Fast)

Too much information, too little IAEA: How can OSINT contribute to Nuclear Verification?​

By Philipp Fischer. Nuclear verification is a critical component of global security, ensuring compliance with international treaties and preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. However, verification efforts are facing growing challenges due to technological advances and geopolitical tensions. [...] Open-source intelligence (OSINT), based on publicly available data, offers a powerful complement to traditional verification methods by increasing transparency and improving detection capabilities. This type of “societal verification” can involve actors beyond governments and international institutions by making use of digital technologies and publicly available information.

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Read more about the article Introducing VeSPoTec and INEF’s new blogs series​
Abstract Representation of Nuclear Verification. AI generated image (using NightCafe’s HiDream I1 Fast)

Introducing VeSPoTec and INEF’s new blogs series​

By Leonardo Bandarra. “New Perspectives on Nuclear Verification” is a blog series designed to bring the next generation of ideas and voices into this debate. We believe that early career researchers (that is, postgraduate researchers, and advanced students) as well as young professionals are uniquely positioned to rethink established assumptions and connect insights across disciplines and regions. Their work captures shifts in technology, society, and international politics at an early stage, offering novel approaches that established debates might overlook. We invite you to follow the series, comment, and share it widely, and, if you are an early career researcher or young professional, to add your own perspective.

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Read more about the article Science – Peace – Security ’25 (SPS ’25) Conference in Aachen
Discussion at the SPS'25 Conference

Science – Peace – Security ’25 (SPS ’25) Conference in Aachen

By Kim Westerich-Fellner. From 10-12 September, the Science – Peace – Security ’25 (SPS ’25) Conference was held in Aachen, Germany. The event was hosted by VeSPoTec and organized by Forschungszentrum Jülich. The conference explored how rapid technological advancements are reshaping global peace and security.

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Read more about the article After US’s bombing of nuclear facilities in Iran: Doubts on making the region safer. – Malte Göttsche assesses the situation.
AI generated image (using NightCafe and HiDream I1 Fast)

After US’s bombing of nuclear facilities in Iran: Doubts on making the region safer. – Malte Göttsche assesses the situation.

By Josias Bruderer. The US interference in the war between Israel and Iran has hardly shed any light on the blurred situation, let alone made the region safer. Contradictory and divergent reports on the extent of the destruction, remaining facilities and consequences emphasize the lack of clarity. Malte Göttsche, a principal investigators of VeSPoTec and Professor for Peace Research in Natural Sciences at PRIF (Leibniz-Institut für Friedens- und Konfliktforschung), assesses the situation.

Continue ReadingAfter US’s bombing of nuclear facilities in Iran: Doubts on making the region safer. – Malte Göttsche assesses the situation.
Read more about the article Irreversibility and Compliance in Regional Nuclear Disarmament: Lessons from the VeSPoTec Tabletop Exercise II
Participants of Tabletop Exercise

Irreversibility and Compliance in Regional Nuclear Disarmament: Lessons from the VeSPoTec Tabletop Exercise II

By Neslihan Yanikömer. In an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, achieving nuclear disarmament requires more than political will—it demands a robust, realistic framework for implementation and compliance. To explore what such a framework might entail, the VeSPoTec research consortium conducted a 1.5-day tabletop exercise on April 10–11, 2025, focused on irreversibility and compliance within a regional disarmament scenario.

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