episode-header-image

Apr 2022

53m 15s

It's Time to Expand Nuclear Power

About this episode

The calls for nuclear are growing louder. The Biden administration recently announced that it was putting $6 billion toward saving distressed nuclear power plants from closure, considering them carbon-free alternative to fossil fuels. Elon Musk doubled down, not only calling for an expansion of nuclear energy, but even offering to eat food grown near reactor ... Show More

Up next

Should Museums Repatriate Cultural Artifacts?

For centuries, museums in Europe and the U.S. built their collections during eras of empire and unequal power. Now, institutions face growing calls to return artifacts taken through colonial rule or war, from the Benin Bronzes to Indigenous objects. Supporters say repatriation co ... Show More

Should We Separate the Art from the Artist?

It turns out your favorite artist is a monster. Say they committed murder, advocated genocide, or engaged in some other act so outside the scope of a dignified, respectable society that it cannot be redeemed. What now? Must you throw the art out with the artists? It's a question ... Show More

Should We Use Gene Editing to Make Better Babies?

Your doctor tells you that, should you wish to have a child, that child is likely also to carry the disease. But a new gene-editing technology could ensure that your baby is -- and remains -- healthy. Should you do it? Critics say the technology will exacerbate inequality and med ... Show More

Recommended Episodes

When Nuclear Power Is Cheap—and Safe

We could be on the verge of a nuclear power renaissance. Climate change is one reason: nuclear power remains the largest source of carbon-free energy in the United States. Also, demand for electricity is surging. BCG’s Ben Vannier imagines a future where the promise of less expen ... Show More

Everyone is talking (again!) about a coming revival in nuclear power. What needs to change to make it happen? | More from New York Climate Week

<p>At Climate Week NYC continues, the hottest topic is the question of how to meet growing demand for electricity while cutting emissions. In New York State, electricity use is expected to increase by 25% over the next 15 years. To meet that demand, the state plans to add tens of ... Show More

Nuclear power’s global revival

Dozens of new nuclear power projects are planned across the world, amid efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels. But why build more reactors when renewable sources of generating electricity, like wind and solar might be cheaper?We explore why countries are turning - or returnin ... Show More

Simon Goes Nuclear with nuclear energy influencer Isabelle Boemeke

“Nuclear” might make you wince—but the real problem isn’t the energy, it’s the branding. Safe, low-carbon, and scalable, nuclear could be a climate hero—if only we told the story right. Isabelle Boemeke is on a mission to change how we think about nuclear energy. A Brazilian mode ... Show More

A nuclear future for Africa?

Nuclear power is back in favour, as more countries across the world consider ways to cut carbon emissions to combat climate change. Countries like China and Japan are planning to build more reactors, but should nations in Africa invest in renewable sources of generating electrici ... Show More

Who Killed Nuclear Energy?

Emmet Penney, creator of Nuclear Barbarians, Grid Brief, and the ex.haust podcast, walks us through the rise, fall and future prospects of nuclear power in the United States. Emmet dives deep on the historical, regulatory, political, and environmentalist forces behind nuclear ene ... Show More

Ep15: Inside Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant | BG2 w/ Bill Gurley & Brad Gerstner

<p>Open Source bi-weekly convo w/ Bill Gurley and Brad Gerstner on all things tech, markets, investing & capitalism. This week they sit down with Maureen Zawalick (Vice President at Diablo Canyon Power Plant) to discuss the importance of nuclear power, the history and future ... Show More

#518 | Atoms For Peace | The Early Years of Nuclear Power

In part one of our mini-series on nuclear energy, we'll explore the origins of nuclear power as it emerged alongside nuclear weapons. Learn how President Eisenhower envisioned "Atoms for Peace" and how political events like the 1973 oil crisis propelled nuclear energy into the sp ... Show More

Special Edition: Nuclear Energy - Clean Solution or Too Risky?

<p dir="ltr">Nuclear power: is it the future of clean energy—or a disaster waiting to happen?</p> <p dir="ltr">With new efforts to roll back regulations and build more plants, nuclear power is back in the spotlight. Some say it's the best shot we've got at cutting carbon emission ... Show More