An Open World? : The Legacy of Niels Bohr’s 1950 Open Letter to the United Nations.

In the nuclear age, Danish physicist Niels Bohr proposed that nations share their most vital scientific insights to prevent catastrophe. Scholars from various disciplines revisit his historic call, examining how radical transparency can build trust and foster cooperation amid global risks and rapid technological change.

Why would any nation choose to share its most vital knowledge openly with others — even with potential adversaries? In the wake of World War II, Danish physicist Niels Bohr urged exactly this in a historic letter to the United Nations. The atomic bomb, with its unprecedented destructive power, had transformed the outlook on international conflict. Bohr argued that only radical openness could contain such a threat and build the trust needed to secure a peaceful future.This volume brings together contributions from leading scholars across disciplines, presented at a Copenhagen conference marking the 75th anniversary of Bohr’s Open Letter. Together, they explore the enduring relevance of Bohr’s call for openness in a world still grappling with global risk, technological upheaval, and the fragile foundations of international cooperation.