logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2022
42m 13s

Babbage: A new age of nuclear power?

The Economist
About this episode

The war in Ukraine is causing countries to rethink their dependence on Russian energy. Some governments are turning to nuclear power. While unpopular, it is one of the safest and most sustainable forms of energy—and an essential weapon in the fight against climate change. Can innovations in technology and engineering help to revive the nuclear industry? Alok Jha hosts.


For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.



See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Up next
Apr 30
Trailer: Boss Class Season 2
Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned. The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordi ... Show More
2m 3s
Feb 2025
Trailer: Scam Inc
A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It already rivals the size of the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more powerful.  The Economist’s Sue-Lin Wong follows a trail that starts with the collapse of a bank ... Show More
3m 47s
May 2024
Trailer: The Modi Raj
Narendra Modi may well be the most popular politician on the planet. India’s prime minister is eyeing a third term atop the world’s biggest democracy.  A tea-seller’s son, Mr Modi began life an outsider and the man behind the political phenomenon remains hard to fathom. India has ... Show More
4m 58s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2022
Babbage: A new age of nuclear power?
The war in Ukraine is causing countries to rethink their dependence on Russian energy. Some governments are turning to nuclear power. While unpopular, it is one of the safest and most sustainable forms of energy—and an essential weapon in the fight against climate change. Can inn ... Show More
42m 13s
Dec 2021
Checks and Balance: Nuclear option
Nuclear is responsible for nearly 20% of America’s power generation and about half of its clean energy. It’s greener than fossil fuels and more reliable than renewables. Yet safety fears remain and plants are being closed. Will the climate crisis force America to reconsider nucle ... Show More
42m 26s
Oct 2022
Babbage: What are tactical nuclear weapons?
The war in Ukraine has raised the nuclear threat to its highest level since the Cuban missile crisis. What types of nuclear weapons could be used in Ukraine, and how much damage could they do?  Cheryl Rofer, a former nuclear scientist at America’s Los Alamos National Laboratory, ... Show More
36m 50s
Jun 2022
Babbage: How to go green amid an energy crisis
The energy shock threatens to derail action on climate change. Which technologies will enable the green transition, while ensuring energy security, too? Vijay Vaitheeswaran, The Economist's global energy & climate innovation editor, describes the pathway to a decarbonised future. ... Show More
37m 34s
Jan 2023
The Renaissance of Nuclear Power
What’s led the world to restart the stalled atomic engine?2022 was a year of important milestones for nuclear power. The most significant piece of climate legislation in US history – the IRA – included tax incentives and investment for the nuclear industry. A $15 per megawatt-hou ... Show More
54m 29s
May 2022
Can nuclear power ever be considered safe? With Serhii Plokhy
When the site of the Chernobyl disaster was occupied by Russian troops during their invasion of Ukraine, fears of further contamination put the safety of nuclear power in the spotlight once again.In his latest book, Atoms and Ashes: From Bikini Atoll to Fukushima, the Ukrainian h ... Show More
26m 28s
Jan 2022
Money Talks: The energy weapon
What happens if Vladimir Putin invades Ukraine again, the West hits Russia with sanctions, and Mr Putin retaliates by shutting down supply of Russian gas? The Economist’s global energy & climate innovation editor Vijay Vaitheeswaran explores how this would rock energy markets fro ... Show More
31m 16s
Jan 2022
Money Talks: The energy weapon
What happens if Vladimir Putin invades Ukraine again, the West hits Russia with sanctions, and Mr Putin retaliates by shutting down supply of Russian gas? The Economist’s global energy & climate innovation editor Vijay Vaitheeswaran explores how this would rock energy markets fro ... Show More
31m 16s
Nov 2022
Babbage at COP27: Part three—the energy crisis
COP27 takes place amid war in Ukraine and an energy crisis. In the third episode of our series covering the summit, we explore how energy-security concerns are affecting efforts to decarbonise. Niklas Höhne of the NewClimate Institute says the energy crisis could deepen Europe’s ... Show More
40m 40s
Jun 2021
Do we need more nuclear power to help deal with climate change?
In November 2021, Britain will host the next UN Climate Change Conference, otherwise known as COP 26. Some 200 countries will come together to try to speed up attempts to make the world carbon neutral by the middle of the century. But many countries are already struggling to ramp ... Show More
23m 50s