IAEA Top News

• Call for Abstracts Deadline Extended: Conference on Radiation Protection in Medicine — X Ray Vision
  Interested contributors have until 30 May 2025 to submit abstracts for scientific posters for the IAEA’s International Conference on Radiation Protection in Medicine — X Ray Vision.
  
• Family Driven: Enhancing Global Standards of Radiation Protection of Patients
  Chadia Rizk learned the importance of radiation in medicine in her 20s when her father was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer that affects the immune system.
  
• IAEA Kicks Off 2025 Cooperation with G20 under South African Presidency
  For the second year in a row, the IAEA has been invited to collaborate with the G20 on work related to nuclear power. The cooperation resumed under the presidency of South Africa at meetings this week in Cape Town, kicking off with a side event on the role of nuclear energy in clean energy transitions.
  
• Update 289 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine
  Ukrainian engineers and construction workers are carrying out temporary repairs of the Chornobyl site’s New Safe Confinement (NSC) that was severely damaged in a drone attack earlier this year, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.
  
• UN Security Council Media Stakeout on Non-proliferation
  Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France and Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the IAEA speak to the media on non-proliferation and nuclear weapons at a stakeout after a private meeting of the UN Security Council on 28 April 2025 in New York.
  
• NUTEC Plastics Initiative Helps Protect Biodiversity in the Galapagos
  To address the growing threat of marine microplastic pollution in the Galapagos Islands, the IAEA’s Nuclear Technology for Controlling Plastic Pollution initiative has partnered with Ecuador’s Oceanographic Institute of the Navy and Polytechnic School of the Coast to build microplastic monitoring and analytical capacity.
  
• IAEA Director General Grossi Discusses Global Non-proliferation, Nuclear Safety Issues with Senior US Officials in Washington DC
  IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi met high-level officials from the U.S. administration to discuss important current issues related to non-proliferation and nuclear safety worldwide, during a visit to Washington DC where he also spoke to the heads of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank about the financing of nuclear energy projects.
  
• Update 288 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine
  IAEA experts based at Ukraine’s ZNPP were required to stay indoors yesterday morning after hearing loud bursts of gunfire from near the main administrative building where their office is located, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
  
• Cutting-Edge Radiation Innovation at ICARST 2025
  The latest innovations in radiation applications across diverse sectors, from healthcare and environmental protection to safety and industry, were exhibited at the International Conference on Applications of Radiation Science and Technology (ICARST 2025).
  
• Update 287 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine
  The IAEA team based at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) today examined the area near the plant’s training centre where a drone was reportedly shot down and crashed, once again underlining potential risks to nuclear safety during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
  
• Update 286 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine
  Frequent air raid alarms, the regular sound of explosions nearby and the presence of drones are continuing to highlight the dangers facing Ukraine’s main nuclear sites during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.
  
• IAEA and International Experts Sample Treated Water within Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Prior to its Release
  The IAEA, along with experts China, Korea, the Russian Federation, and Switzerland, collected samples today of ALPS treated water that had been diluted with seawater ahead of its discharge into the sea.
  
• New Project to Optimize Human Milk Intake Research in Infants
  The IAEA is launching a new coordinated research project to advance maternal and child health using a stable (non-radioactive) isotope technique used to measure breast milk intake in infants.
  
• IAEA Director General Visits China to Strengthen Cooperation
  China is making remarkable progress in nuclear energy and is a strong supporter of the IAEA’s mission to ensure that nuclear technology serves peace and development, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said while meeting China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.
  
• Update 285 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine
  The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has carried out five deliveries of equipment and other technical assistance over the past week as it remains fully focused on helping to prevent a nuclear accident during the military conflict in Ukraine, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.
  

IAEA Fukushima Status Reports

• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 21 February 2025
  On 21 February 2025, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during November, which t
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 1 February 2025
  On 1 February 2025, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during October, which th
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 1 February 2025
  On 1 February 2025, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during September, which t
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 28 November 2024
  On 28 November 2024, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during August, which the
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 6 November 2024
  The Japanese Government has provided the IAEA with a report that summarizes the events and highlights the progress related to recovery operations at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 29 October 2024
  On 29 October 2024, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during July, which the Mi
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 2 October 2024
  On 1 October 2024, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during June, which the Min
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 11 July 2024
  On 10 July 2024, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during May, which the Minist
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 13 June 2024
  On 13 June 2024, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during April, which the Min
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 13 June 2024
  On 13 June 2024, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during March, which the Mini
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 25 March 2024
  On 22 March 2024, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during February, which the
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 5 March 2024
  On 5 March 2024, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during January, which the Mi
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 18 January 2024
  On 18 January 2024, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during December, which th
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 27 December 2023
  On 27 December 2023, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during November, which the Ministry of Fore
  
• Japan's Reports on Conditions at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 21 November 2023
  On 21 November 2023, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during October, which th
  

Union of Concerned Scientists

• Nuclear Security Agency Responds To UCS Scientist's Concerns
  Nuclear Security Agency Responds To UCS Scientist's Concerns 2025 Omari Spears Mon, 01/13/2025 - 13:03 Read press release
  
• Millions of Midwesterners Benefit from Milestone Clean Energy Investment
  Millions of Midwesterners Benefit from Milestone Clean Energy Investment 2024 Omari Spears Thu, 12/12/2024 - 15:36 Read press release
  
• California Passes First-in-the-Nation Bidirectional EV Charging Bill
  California Passes First-in-the-Nation Bidirectional EV Charging Bill 2024 chris bliss Thu, 12/12/2024 - 14:07 Read blog post
  
• Clean Energy and Environmental Justice Win in Massachusetts
  Clean Energy and Environmental Justice Win in Massachusetts 2024 Omari Spears Wed, 11/27/2024 - 13:50 Read press release
  
• After UCS Advocacy, >13 Million People Protected By New Ethylene Oxide Regulation
  After UCS Advocacy, >13 Million People Protected By New Ethylene Oxide Regulation 2024 Omari Spears Wed, 11/27/2024 - 12:24 Read press release
  
• New Federal Rules to Modernize US Power Grid Cite UCS
  New Federal Rules to Modernize US Power Grid Cite UCS 2024 Omari Spears Wed, 06/05/2024 - 16:00 Read press release
  
• EPA Falsified Scientific Records in Ohio Train Derailment Disaster
  EPA Falsified Scientific Records in Ohio Train Derailment Disaster Omari Spears Tue, 05/28/2024 - 15:25 Administration Biden Topic Environment Public Health
  
• New EPA Rules Offer $370 Billion in Climate and Health Benefits
  New EPA Rules Offer $370 Billion in Climate and Health Benefits 2024 Omari Spears Mon, 05/06/2024 - 16:21 Read press release
  
• 7 Billion Tons of Climate Pollution Avoided Thanks to New UCS-backed Vehicle Standards
  7 Billion Tons of Climate Pollution Avoided Thanks to New UCS-backed Vehicle Standards 2024 Omari Spears Mon, 05/06/2024 - 16:16 Read blog
  
• More Than 12,000 Chemical Facilities Better Prepared for Disasters
  More Than 12,000 Chemical Facilities Better Prepared for Disasters 2024 Omari Spears Mon, 05/06/2024 - 16:00 Read blog
  

Nuclear Energy News -- ScienceDaily

• New method to produce an extremely heavy hydrogen isotope
  Scientists have produced one of the most neutron-rich isotopes, hydrogen-6, in an electron scattering experiment. The experiment presents a new method for investigating light, neutron-rich nuclei and challenges our current understanding of multi-nucleon interactions.
  
• Maximal entanglement sheds new light on particle creation
  Physicists have shown that particles produced in collimated sprays called jets retain information about their origins in subatomic particle smashups.
  
• Study tracks chromium chemistry in irradiated molten salts
  Chemists report that radiation-induced chemical reactions may help mitigate the corrosion of metals in a new type of nuclear reactor cooled by molten salts.
  
• A safe nuclear battery that could last a lifetime
  Lithium-ion batteries, used in consumer devices and electric vehicles, typically last hours or days between charges. However, with repeated use, they degrade and need to be charged more frequently. Now, researchers are considering radiocarbon as a source for safe, small and affordable nuclear batteries that could last decades or longer without charging.
  
• Gas injection setup in new fusion system is guided by public-private research
  Researchers have determined that six gas valves provide the best protection against plasma disruptions in SPARC, a next-generation, experimental fusion system. By refining the setup for the fusion vessel's massive gas injection system, researchers are ensuring that disruptions -- sudden jets of plasma that can damage the fusion vessel's inner walls -- are controlled efficiently...
  
• New machine learning framework enhances precision and efficiency in metal 3D printing, advancing sustainable manufacturing
  Researchers are leveraging machine learning to improve additive manufacturing, also commonly known as 3D printing. The team introduces a new framework they've dubbed the Accurate Inverse process optimization framework in laser Directed Energy Deposition (AIDED). The new AIDED framework optimizes laser 3D printing to enhance the accuracy and robustness of the finished product. T...
  
• Muonic atoms unlock new possibilities in nuclear physics
  Researchers have combined theory and experiments to show that nuclear polarization does not limit studies of muonic atoms, clearing the way for new nuclear physics experiments.
  
• Producing nuclear fusion fuel is banned in the US for being too toxic, but these researchers found an alternative
  Lithium-6 is essential for producing nuclear fusion fuel, but isolating it from the much more common isotope, lithium-7, usually requires liquid mercury, which is extremely toxic. Now, researchers have developed a mercury-free method to isolate lithium-6 that is as effective as the conventional method.
  
• Nanomaterials used to measure nuclear reaction on radioactive nuclei produced in neutron star collisions
  Physicists have measured a nuclear reaction that can occur in neutron star collisions, providing direct experimental data for a process that had previously only been theorised. The study provides new insight into how the universe's heaviest elements are forged -- and could even drive advancements in nuclear reactor physics.
  
• Dialing in the temperature needed for precise nuclear timekeeping
  For decades, atomic clocks have been the pinnacle of precision timekeeping, enabling GPS navigation, cutting-edge physics research, and tests of fundamental theories. But researchers are now pushing beyond atomic transitions to something potentially even more stable: a nuclear clock.
  
• Direct evidence revealed for rare pulsing pear-shapes in Gadolinium nuclei
  Scientists have acquired direct evidence of rare, pulsing pear-shaped structures within atomic nuclei of the rare-earth element Gadolinium, thanks to new research.
  
• Scientists discover new heavy-metal molecule 'berkelocene'
  Scientists have discovered 'berkelocene,' the first organometallic molecule to be characterized containing the heavy element berkelium. The breakthrough disrupts long-held theories about the chemistry of the elements that follow uranium in the periodic table.
  
• Highly radioactive nuclear waste: how to keep it from oblivion
  Sweden's radioactive nuclear waste will be stored in a sealed bedrock repository for 100,000 years. It will be hazardous for a very long time. So how can we ensure that humanity does not forget that it is there? Researchers have come up with a proposal for how to keep the memory alive over generations.
  
• Some fuel lodges in the inner walls of fusion vessels: Researchers now have a better idea of how much
  New research offers insights that could help reduce the amount of radioactive tritium embedded in the walls of fusion vessels to a minimum.
  
• A completely new type of microscopy based on quantum sensors
  Researchers have invented an entirely new field of microscopy -- nuclear spin microscopy. The team can visualize magnetic signals of nuclear magnetic resonance with a microscope. Quantum sensors convert the signals into light, enabling extremely high-resolution optical imaging.
  

Atomic Insights

• Atomic Show #329 – Dr. Kathryn Huff, former Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Energy
  The Honorable Dr. Kathryn Huff is an associate professor in the nuclear, plasma and radiological engineering department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is the director of the Advanced Reactor Fuels laboratory and currently specializes in nuclear reactor core neutronics and multi-physics modeling. She served as the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear En...
  
• Atomic Show #328 – Matt Loszak, CEO Aalo
  Aalo Atomics is a two year old micro reactor company founded by Matt Loszak, a serial entrepreneur, and Yasir Arafat, a skilled nuclear engineer who previously lead the DOE’s MARVEL advanced micro-reactor demonstration project. Note: At Nucleation Capital, we were impressed enough with the company and the team to add it to our growing portfolio...
  
• Atomic Show #327 – Rod Baltzer, CEO, Deep Isolation
  Deep Isolation is one of Nucleation Capital’s more impactful portfolio companies because its technology can enable greater success for most of the rest of the companies – and for the entire nuclear energy sector. The company has been developing, testing and refining its systematic approach to nuclear waste disposal for a decade. Despite the fact...
  
• Atomic Show #326 – Jigar Shah, former director of DOE Loan Programs Office
  Jigar Shah has had a lengthy career as an energy industry entrepreneur and strategic thinker. He founded Sun Edison and helped to create a new model for deploying solar power systems. He was part of the Carbon War Room and then founded Generate Capital to provide loans to proven technologies that had not yet achieved...
  
• Chris Wright on nuclear power, Nov 6, 2020
  Yesterday, Chris Wright was confirmed as the next U.S. Secretary of Energy. After that important step in his energy career, it’s worth taking a few moments to learn what he thinks about nuclear power outside of any political context. In my experience, people like Wright form and hold opinions that do not shift much over...
  
• Atomic Show #325 – Marco Visscher – The Power of Nuclear
  After many years as an independent journalist with an antinuclear bent, Marco Visscher began questioning his long-held beliefs. He realized that the accepted alternatives to fossil fuel were not actually reducing fossil fuel use so much as they were limiting the rate at which it was increasing. He began acknowledging that nuclear energy was a...
  
• Atomic Show #324 – Jay Hakes, Author of Presidents and the Planet
  Jay Hakes, an accomplished author and historian, visited the Atomic Show to talk about his recently published book, Presidents and the Planet: Climate Change Science and Politics from Eisenhower to Bush. Sometimes referred to as “the untold story of climate change,” Hake’s book is an enlightening jaunt through a history discovered during long days in...
  
• Atomic Show #323 – Julie Kozeracki, Director of Strategy, DOE Loan Programs Office
  Julie Kozeracki was the lead author for a U.S. Department of Energy strategy document titled Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Advanced Nuclear published in September 2024. The document was the result of a multi-agency, multi-lab effort to update a previously issued report. During our conversation, Kozeracki described how the report was informed by changes in the...
  
• Atomic Show #322 – Westinghouse’s eVinci micro reactor
  Westinghouse’s eVinci is a 15 MWth, 5 MWe micro reactor. Westinghouse often refers to it as a nuclear battery. Unlike conventional nuclear power plants, eVinci uses no water and doesn’t produce steam. The eVinci is not “just another way to boil water.” There are no pumps in the system that moves heat out of the...
  
• Atomic Show #321 – Andrew Harmon, VP Natura Resources
  The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a construction permit on September 16, 2024 to Abilene Christian University (ACU) to build a molten salt research reactor. This marked the first university research reactor approval in 30 years. It is the first liquid fuel reactor ever approved for construction by the NRC and only the second advanced...
  
• Matthew Marzano brings valuable education and experience to his potential role as NRC Commissioner
  Note: (Added Dec 3, 2024)I have come to the conclusion that Matthew Marzano is not an appropriate choice to be an NRC Commissioner. He should not be confirmed by the Senate, especially in the closing days of a lame duck session. Though he has respectable technical education and significant operational experience, he has largely been...
  
• Atomic Show #320 – Magnus Mori, Urenco
  Urenco is one of the few companies in the world that enriches uranium. It’s one of an even smaller group of enrichers that aren’t owned by the Russian, Chinese or Iranian governments. It plays a key role in the western world’s nuclear fuel cycle. That role became even more important after February, 2022. With the...
  
• The ADVANCE Act – Meaningful changes in U. S. nuclear regulatory framework
  NRC’s Newly Aligned Mission Will Accelerate Nuclear Energy Deployment With resounding bipartisan, bicameral support that also achieved enthusiastic support of the Executive Branch, the US has enacted a new law announcing its support of nuclear energy. It has the potential to make an even larger impact on global atomic energy use than the combination of...
  
• Atomic Show #319 – Juliann Edwards, The Nuclear Company
  The Nuclear Company exited a period of operating in “stealth mode” about a month ago. That exit was sufficiently well planned and executed that it is likely that Atomic Insights readers have already heard of the company. The Nuclear Company was incorporated a year ago. Its founding team has been working diligently to build the...
  
• Atomic Show #318 – Brian Gitt, Business Development, Oklo
  Brian Gitt, the Business Development lead at Oklo, visited the Atomic Show to describe his employer’s business model and current prospects. Oklo is an advanced fission and fuel recycling company with an expansive vision for becoming a competitive clean energy supplier. It plans to provide heat and/or electricity as a service from a fleet of...
  

Energy News

• Statement From Energy Secretary Chris Wright on President Trump’s 2026 Budget
  The Department of Energy (DOE) today released the following statement from U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on President Trump’s 2026 Budget released this morning:
  
• Energy Secretary Visits Appliance Manufacturing Facility in Georgia to Mark 100 Days of Unleashing American Energy
  U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright today visited Rinnai America Corporation’s manufacturing facility for non-condensed tankless gas water heaters in Griffin, Georgia, to celebrate the first 100 days of the Trump Administration’s efforts to unleash American energy and innovation.
  
• DOE Announces New Leadership to Tackle Challenges of Growing Energy Demand
  The Department of Energy (DOE) today announced new leadership to tackle the challenge of strengthening and securing the U.S. energy system and ensuring America can lead the global race for AI leadership.
  
• Energy Department Lifts Regulations on Miscellaneous Gas Products
  DOE announces withdrawal of regulations on the manufacture and sale of decorative hearths and outdoor heaters
  
• Secretary Wright Highlights 100 Days of Unleashing American Energy Under President Trump
  U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright today released the following statement marking President Trump’s 100th day in office.
  
• Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to visit Rinnai America in Griffin, Georgia to Mark 100 Days of Unleashing American Energy
  U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright will travel to Griffin, Georgia, on Friday, May 2, to tour Rinnai America Corporation’s manufacturing facility.
  
• Energy Secretary Chris Wright Delivers Keynote Remarks at the Three Seas Business Forum in Warsaw, Poland
  U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright delivered keynote remarks today at the Inaugural Session of the Three Seas Business Forum.
  
• United States Signs Agreement to Advance American Civil Nuclear Deal in Poland
  U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright oversaw the signing of the Engineering Development Agreement with U.S. companies Westinghouse and Bechtel and Polish Company PEJ at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland today.
  
• U.S. Energy Secretary to Travel to Warsaw, Poland
  U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright will travel to Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, April 27.
  
• ICYMI: Trump Administration Adds Two DOE Critical Minerals Projects to Federal Permitting Dashboard
  The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) today announced increased transparency and accountability for the federal permitting of two Department of Energy (DOE) critical minerals projects.
  

Today in Energy

• Oil prices and refinery margins fell slightly in first quarter of 2025
  During the first quarter of 2025 (1Q25), crude oil prices generally decreased while U.S. refinery margins initially increased before decreasing in the final month of the quarter. In this quarterly update, we review petroleum markets price developments in 1Q25, covering crude oil prices, refinery margins, biofuel compliance credit prices, and natural gas plant liquids prices.
  
• U.S. oil companies spent less on interest over the last decade despite higher rates
  Higher oil prices, increased drilling efficiency, and structurally lower debt needs have contributed to lower interest expenses for some publicly traded U.S. oil companies over the past decade, despite the level of interest rates across the economy being relatively high.
  
• U.S. imports of major transportation fuels decreased in 2024
  U.S. imports of petroleum products decreased by 210,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2024 to average 1.8 million b/d. Imports of all major transportation fuels, such as motor gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, as well as other products, such as unfinished oils, decreased.
  
• U.S. natural gas inventories in underground storage ended winter at a three-year low
  After a relatively warm start to the 2024–25 winter heating season (November–March), colder-than-normal temperatures across much of the United States in January and February resulted in increased consumption of natural gas and more withdrawals from U.S. natural gas storage than normal. By the end of March, the least amount of natural gas was held in U.S. underground...
  
• The United States operates the world's largest nuclear power plant fleet
  In 2024, U.S. utilities operated 94 nuclear reactors with a total net generating capacity of nearly 97 gigawatts (GW), the largest commercial nuclear power generation fleet in the world. The next three countries with the largest programs were France with 57 units (63.0 GW), China with 57 units (55.3 GW), and Russia with 36 units (28.6 GW). Nuclear power continues to account for...
  

Nuclear & WMD News at DefenceTalk.com

• Russia’s updated nuclear ‘red line’ adds uncertainty: experts
  DefenceTalkRussia’s new nuclear doctrine reflects its hopes to deter Ukraine’s allies from a greater role in the war by establishing red lines hedged with added ambiguity, experts say. Moscow warned on Tuesday that it would respond after Ukraine fired longer-range US missiles at its territory for the first time, as President Vladimir Putin issued a […]https:/...
  
• Russian defence ministry says held fresh nuclear drills
  DefenceTalkRussia said Tuesday its army held fresh nuclear drills under the supervision of President Vladimir Putin, who recently called for changes to rules on the use of Moscow’s nuclear deterrent. Putin has raised the prospect of using nuclear weapons during Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine several times and last month suggested Russia broaden its rules on […...
  
• Japan shifting back to nuclear to ditch coal, power AI
  DefenceTalkGlinting in the sun by the world’s biggest nuclear plant, the Sea of Japan is calm now. But as the huge facility gears up to restart, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa has a new tsunami wall, just in case. Japan pulled the plug on nuclear power after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, but with the G7’s dirtiest energy mix, it […]https://www.defencetalk.com/japan-shifti...
  
• Amazon bets on nuclear power to fuel AI ambitions
  DefenceTalkAmazon announced significant investments in nuclear energy on Wednesday, joining other tech giants in aiming to meet the high electric power demands of artificial intelligence using atomic energy. As companies including Microsoft, Amazon, and Google rapidly expand their global data center capabilities, they are actively seeking new electricity sources. Amazon has sig...
  
• Nuclear deterrence still at heart of great power strategy: experts
  DefenceTalkNuclear-armed powers have no intention of giving up the atom bomb as part of their military strategy, experts said after the Nobel Peace Prize committee urged against any weakening of the nuclear “taboo”. Awarding this year’s peace prize to Japan’s Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots movement of Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors pushing for a nuclear ...
  
• Israeli retaliation threat sparks call in Iran for nuclear weapons
  DefenceTalkWith the prospect of Israeli retaliation for Iran’s missile attack looming, some Iranian hardliners want their government to revise its nuclear doctrine to pursue atomic weapons. Israel has vowed to launch a “deadly, precise, and surprising” attack on Iran in retaliation for its second-ever direct strike on Israeli territory. On October 1, Iran laun...
  
• Kazakhstan approve plan for first nuclear power plant
  DefenceTalkKazakhstan has approved a plan to build its first nuclear power station in a referendum, overcoming lingering resentment over massive radiation exposure from Soviet-era nuclear tests. The Central Asian country is the world’s largest producer of uranium and has massive oil reserves but it suffers from chronic energy shortages. The “Yes” vote won 71.1...
  
• With Two Nuclear-Armed Strategic Competitors, US Modernization Top Priority
  DefenceTalk“The security environment we face today is unprecedented,” said Melissa Dalton, undersecretary of the Air Force. “We face for the first time in our nation’s history, two strategic competitors that are nuclear states with large and growing nuclear arsenals. When we look at the [People’s Republic of China] and its breathtaking modernizatio...
  
• Kremlin says won’t change plans on Belarus nuclear weapons
  DefenceTalkThe Kremlin on Monday said Western criticism would not change plans announced by President Vladimir Putin to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus. The West condemned Putin’s weekend announcement on placing the weapons in EU and NATO-bordering Belarus, triggering calls for new sanctions on Moscow. Ukraine said it was seeking an emergency meetin...
  
• North Korea says it tested new underwater nuclear attack ‘drone’
  DefenceTalkNorth Korea claimed Friday it had tested an underwater nuclear attack drone able to unleash a “radioactive tsunami”, as it blamed recent US-South Korea exercises for a deteriorating regional security situation. Pyongyang carried out military drills of its own in response this week, the official Korean Central News Agency said, including test-firing a new ...
  

All Articles | Discover Magazine

• Insulin Was a Life-Saving Discovery That Came with a Bit of Controversy
  Learn more about the discovery of insulin and the controversy this life-saving medicine sparked.
  
• Common Cold Sore Virus May Elevate Your Chances of Developing Alzheimer's
  Learn about what can happen in the brain following a herpes virus infection, potentially raising the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
  
• A New, Single Smart Capsule Could Help Us Take Our Meds All at Once
  Learn more about how engineers designed a capsule that can ease our drug routines.
  
• Fierce, Aquatic Reptilian Predators Disappeared After an Ancient Climate Change Event
  The sudden heat altered oceans’ chemical composition, which affected some top aquatic reptilian predators more than some other species.
  
• Around 25 Percent of Your Mental Health Risk Is Tied to Your Personality
  Learn more about the link between common mental health conditions and personality.
  
• Universal Antivenom May Be Possible Thanks to a Man with Hundreds of Snake Bites
  Learn more about the antibodies of a self-immunizing donor that could help create a universal snake antivenom.
  
• There Is No Single Road to Happiness, and It All Depends on the Individual
  Routes to satisfaction vary from person to person and come from either or both internal and external sources.
  
• Well-Preserved Austrian Mummy Reveals Unusual Rectal Embalming Technique
  Learn how the examination of Austrian mummy remains reveals details of his life, but leaves a few mysteries behind.
  
• Skip Sushi No More – Designer Microbes Can Now Reduce Mercury Poisoning
  A new probiotic could soon tackle the burden of heavy-metal-contaminated fish.
  
• How Animals Tell Time Is Still a Mystery, But We Do Know They Measure It
  Animals don’t wear watches, but they may be able to keep track of time. Learn how they do it.
  
• Humans Take Longer to Heal Than Other Primates, Likely Thanks to Our Lack of Fur
  Learn how human healing compares to healing in other primates and mammals, whose fur may help their skin stitch itself together.
  
• The Dazzling 2025 Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower Will Peak May 6 — Here's What to Know
  Learn the best time and place to view the upcoming Eta Aquarids meteor shower.
  
• A Supermagnetized Star May Have Produced Gold, Platinum and Other Heavy Elements
  Flares from a supermagnetized star may have generated as much as 10 percent of our galaxy’s heavy elements.
  
• Ancient Footprints Reveal When Giant Flying Reptiles Took to the Ground
  Learn how fossil footprints prove pterosaurs walked the Earth long before they vanished from the sky.
  
• Sky Goddess Depictions Show Ancient Egyptians Were Aware of the Milky Way
  Artistic depictions of the Ancient Egyptian god Nut reveal an awareness of the Milky Way galaxy.