In a move that has caught the world’s attention (and if it hasn’t, it certainly should), Russia’s parliament, known as the State Duma, has taken the first step toward pulling out of an important international treaty called the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). This treaty, signed in 1996, aims to ban all nuclear tests globally. It has been a cornerstone in making nuclear tests socially and politically unacceptable. Russia ratified it in 2000, but now seems to be having second thoughts. What does this mean and what should you know? Let’s dive in.