After the first use of nuclear weapons in 1945, Albert Einstein warned that 'we thus drift towards unparalleled catastrophe'. Today we are no longer drifting but racing at breakneck speed. This book provides a chronicle of the events that have carried the world into a Third Nuclear Age and an analysis of how it happened. Presenting the case for critical nuclear studies, it traces the dangers of recent technological and political advances and makes an important intervention into debates about nuclear weapons. It also explores how the Third Nuclear Age manifests in our everyday lives, drawing on a diverse range of source materials, including everything from policy documents, military doctrine and news reports to pop songs and social media memes. Today, the human race stands on the brink of catastrophe. This book tells you why and what we can do about it.