--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have to bring to your notice a…" description: "\"I have to bring to your notice a terrifying reality: with the development of nuclear weapons Man has acquired, for the first time in history, the techn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/joseph-rotblat-16206_civilization_i-have-to-bring-to-your-notice-a-terrify_1268151.png" --- # I have to bring to your notice a terrifying reality: with… ![“I have to bring to your notice a terrifying reality: with the development of nuclear weapons Man has acquired, for the first time in history, the technical means to destroy the whole of civilization in a single act.” quote by Joseph Rotblat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/joseph-rotblat-16206_civilization_i-have-to-bring-to-your-notice-a-terrify_1268151.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/joseph-rotblat-16206_civilization_i-have-to-bring-to-your-notice-a-terrify_1268151.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/joseph-rotblat-16206_civilization_i-have-to-bring-to-your-notice-a-terrify_1268151.png) > “I have to bring to your notice a terrifying reality: with the development of nuclear weapons Man has acquired, for the first time in history, the technical means to destroy the whole of civilization in a single act.” [Joseph Rotblat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-rotblat/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity now possesses the capacity to annihilate civilization in a single act, a terrifying new reality. **In simple terms:** We can destroy all at once. Key Takeaway Recognize and prevent nuclear catastrophe. Themes danger technology responsibility Mood grave urgent Type ethical political When to use this quote - policy making - education - activism Key Concepts existential risk global security Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do we hold with such power? - How can societies mitigate this existential threat? A Different Perspective Political and technical constraints may limit prevention efforts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear/) [Nuclear weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-weapons/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Terrifying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrifying/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [There is a point when facing the unknown stops being a longed-for adventure and becomes a terrifying reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/storm-constantine/there-is-a-point-when-facing-the-unknown-stops-being-a-longed-for/) [Storm Constantine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/storm-constantine/) > [“If anything is terrifying, if there is a reality that surpasses dream, it is this: to live, to see the sun, to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/if-anything-is-terrifying-if-there-is-a-reality-that-surpasses-dream/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [God is, of course, a terrifying reality. 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But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyndham-lewis/god-is-of-course-a-terrifying-reality-i-had-thought-that-i-knew-all/) [Wyndham Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyndham-lewis/) > [America is experiencing an Islamist cultural-political offensive designed to undermine and destroy our civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/america-is-experiencing-an-islamist-cultural-political-offensive/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [If we built houses the way we build software, the first woodpecker to come along would destroy civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-stoll/if-we-built-houses-the-way-we-build-software-the-first-woodpecker-to/) [Clifford Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-stoll/) > [There is a one-in-300 chance that Earth will be struck on March 16, 2880, by an asteroid large enough to destroy civilization and possibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/there-is-a-one-in-300-chance-that-earth-will-be-struck-on-march-16/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [There is held to be no surer test of civilization than the increase per head of the consumption of alcohol and tobacco. 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Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/violence-is-not-necessary-to-destroy-a-civilization-each-civilization/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [The most terrifying moment in my life was October 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I did not know all the facts - we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-rotblat/the-most-terrifying-moment-in-my-life-was-october-1962-during-the/) [Joseph Rotblat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-rotblat/) > [They'll be no learning period with nuclear weapons. Make one mistake and you're going to destroy nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/they-ll-be-no-learning-period-with-nuclear-weapons-make-one-mistake/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) ## More by Joseph Rotblat > [There is no direct evidence that nuclear weapons prevented a world war. Conversely, it is known that they nearly caused one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-rotblat/there-is-no-direct-evidence-that-nuclear-weapons-prevented-a-world/) [Joseph Rotblat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-rotblat/) > [But scientists on both sides of the iron curtain played a very significant role in maintaining the momentum of the nuclear arms race throughout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-rotblat/but-scientists-on-both-sides-of-the-iron-curtain-played-a-very/) [Joseph Rotblat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-rotblat/) > [This is the reality of nuclear weapons: they may trigger a world war; a war which, unlike previous ones, destroys all of civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-rotblat/this-is-the-reality-of-nuclear-weapons-they-may-trigger-a-world-war-a/) [Joseph Rotblat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-rotblat/) > [ Alice Stewart \[is\] a much underestimated scientist who has been an indomitable challenger of the establishment and a thorn in the flesh of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-rotblat/alice-stewart-is-a-much-underestimated-scientist-who-has-been-an/) [Joseph Rotblat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-rotblat/) > [Since the end of the Cold War two main nuclear powers have begun to make big reductions in their nuclear arsenals. 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