«The Physicists: art as an ethical firewall4 reading minutes

Current events in Ukraine remind us that the reality of war is far from over. A little over a month ago, Vladimir Putin sounded the death knell for the hope that Europe would continue to live in peace. In so doing, the Russian president rekindled fears of a confrontation involving the mobilization of nuclear power, which would have the dramatic effect of wiping out a large part of Europe. In the face of such a hypothetical threat, it's worth remembering that scientists will be the key players in this situation, in the sense that they will, if need be, have to enlighten senior leaders by reminding them of the tragic consequences of using weapons of mass destruction. Friedrich Dürrenmatt, the brilliant Swiss playwright, tackled this theme in his own way in his play Die Physiker (The Physicists), giving it the feel of a timeless fable. His message is about