“I felt burning in my throat”: Preparing for nuclear war in Livermore

“I felt burning in my throat”: Preparing for nuclear war in Livermore

March 4, 2026 · 1h 16m

About this episode

This episode discusses the history and current issues surrounding the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and its role in nuclear weapons development.

In February, America’s nuclear arms treaty with Russia expired, ushering in “a global rush for new weapons,” according to New York Times. Much of the next generation of the US nuclear arsenal will be developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which has been designing and testing nuclear weapons since the early 1950s. The Lab’s history of hiding hazardous health impacts, security failures, and other troubling behavior should raise concerns not only in eastern Alameda County, but across the entire region. This episode features interviews with Marylia Kelley and Scott Yundt of Tri-Valley CARES, a watchdog group that’s been monitoring the Livermore Lab and advocating for community safety since 1983. Additionally, Sherry Pratt, a retired Lab employee and cancer survivor, joins the program to share her story. Listen now to hear about the stunning history of Lawrence Livermore National Lab, the origins of the nuclear weapons complex, and why transparency around the Lab’s operations is shrinking while its budget is booming. To see photos and links related to this episode, visit: https://eastbayyesterday.com/episodes/i-felt-burning-in-my-throat/ Don’t forget to follow the East…

People in this episode

Guests: Marylia Kelley, Scott Yundt, Sherry Pratt

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Tri-Valley CARES

Places: Livermore, eastern Alameda County, United States, Russia

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