Lt. Raj Bansal and Capt. Joseph Shannon (right) approach Foxtrot-01, a remote nuclear missile base in Nebraska. Geoffrey Brumfiel/NPR hide caption
nuclear weapons
First Lt. Patrick Romanofski (center) and 2nd Lt. Andrew Beckner (left) practice the launch of nuclear weapons. Promotions are now more strongly influenced by hands-on performance in this simulator. R.J. Oriez/U.S. Air Force hide caption
Anti-nuclear activists (from left) Gregory Boertje-Obed, Sister Megan Rice and Michael Walli, pictured Feb. 6 in Knoxville, Tenn., were sentenced to prison terms on Tuesday for the 2012 break-in at Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. Linda Davidson/The Washington Post/Getty Images hide caption
The National Ignition Facility's 192 laser beams focus onto a tiny target. LLNL hide caption
Negotiators at their round table in Geneva, where talks are being held about Iran's nuclear ambitions. Denis Balibouse /Reuters/Landov hide caption
The negotiating table in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where the U.S. and other nations are talking with Iran about that nation's nuclear ambitions. Ilyas Omarov /AFP/Getty Images hide caption
U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is given a traditional Maori welcome onto the grounds of the Government House on Friday in Auckland, New Zealand. Phil Walter/Getty Images hide caption
International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Yukiya Amano earlier today in Vienna, after his return from talks in Tehran. Dieter Nagl /AFP/Getty Images hide caption
Word Of Deal To Inspect Iran's Nuclear Program Raises Hopes For Broader Talks
April 2010: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unveils a sample of the third generation centrifuge for uranium enrichment during a ceremony in Tehran on April 9, 2010. Iran says its nuclear ambitions are peaceful. Behrouz Mehri/AFP/Getty Images hide caption