Nuclear Power

Science

Bill Gates Building Nuke Plant For China

4:57AM December 9, 2011 | Sam Biddle

What do you do when you’ve run out of things to spend money on, and everyone already uses your software? How about developing a nuclear plant with China? Sure! Bill Gates is doing just that, the AP reports. For science? More »

Science

Could One Element Power The Entire Planet?

5:00AM November 15, 2011 | Sam Biddle

The world isn’t too hot on nuclear energy today, and for good reason. But “nuclear energy” doesn’t have to be the kind we’ve come to know and botch. Some engineers think the rocks we’re walking on could change electricity forever. More »

News

China’s Nuclear Chief Accused Of Selling Tech Secrets

2:00AM August 30, 2011 | Sam Biddle

The only thing more embarrassing than discovering an atomic traitor high up on your government? Revealing the news by accident via a mysteriously leaked internet video. China’s newest (accused) spy is in radioactively hot water. More »

News

Man Arrested Before He Can Finish His Nuclear Reactor

3:40AM August 3, 2011 | Kwame Opam

If a man told you he was getting ready to build a nuclear reactor in his apartment, you’d think he was crazy. Too right. But one Swedish man went for it. And if he hadn’t been caught, he could’ve succeeded. More »

Science

Iran Sparking Concerns Over Nuclear Scale-Up

12:38AM July 20, 2011 | Kat Hannaford

Iran may claim they’re only installing new centrifuges to generate power and medical radioisotopes for cancer-afflicted people, but the UN Security Council is concerned that they’re scaling up their nuclear plants to produce more uranium for weapons. [AP via PBS]

Geek Out

The Soviet Ship That Cuts Through Ice Like A Nuclear-Powered Knife Through Butter

1:30AM July 7, 2011 | Andrew Tarantola

What the Soviets lacked in ability for effective governance, they made up for in ballsy engineering prowess. Really, who else would think to pack two nuclear reactors into a ship and set it loose in the Arctic breaking ice? The North Koreans? Psshhh, not likely. More »

Science

Scientists Argue About How To Better Store Spent Nuclear Fuel

1:20AM July 7, 2011 | Kwame Opam

In the wake of the meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, scientists and lawmakers are struggling to deal with the vulnerability of spent fuel, both as a hazard and as a potential terrorist target. One solution includes moving away from nuclear pools and into dry casks. More »

Science

Ever Wonder What Happens To A Decommissioned Nuclear Power Plant?

2:00PM June 21, 2011 | Adrian Covert

Nicholas Jackson over at The Atlantic has a great piece about the tear down of the Zion nuclear power plant in Illinois that was permanently deactivated in 1998 after both of it’s reactors were accidentally/coincidentally shut down. But even when done properly, complete removal isn’t so simple. More »

News

American Nuclear Plants Have Fukushima’s Flaws—And They’ve Ignored The Warning

7:20AM May 20, 2011 | Sam Biddle

Five years ago, Anthony Sarrack, an engineer at a Minnesota nuclear plant, warned the US government that their common emergency vents wouldn’t work in a disaster. He was ignored. Two months ago, Fukushima exploded because of those same vents. More »

Science

Nuclear Technology Isn’t All Bad

3:00AM March 31, 2011 | Adrian Covert

The Fukushima crisis was a brutal wake-up call about the risks of nuclear power, and it’s really got us all down. But that doesn’t mean we should all panic and disregard the amazing possibilities of nuclear technology. More »