Nuclear energy is a form of power generation that relies on the process of nuclear fission, where atomic nuclei are split to release energy. This method is highly efficient, producing a significant amount of energy from relatively small amounts of fuel compared to traditional fossil fuels. Nuclear power plants utilize this energy to heat water into steam, which then drives turbines to generate electricity. While nuclear energy is notable for its high energy output and low greenhouse gas emissions during operation, it raises concerns regarding radioactive waste disposal, potential for catastrophic accidents, and the high costs of plant construction and decommissioning. Despite these challenges, nuclear energy remains a crucial part of the energy mix for many countries, contributing to energy security and climate change mitigation efforts.
For the first time, lasers have successfully excited the “thorium transition,” a process long pursued by researchers. This breakthrough sets the stage for groundbreaking advancements…
What Is Nuclear Energy? Nuclear power is the world’s largest and most reliable source of clean energy, and supplies electricity to the homes of tens…
Most of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans, which are teeming with a wide variety of life. Interestingly, these vast bodies of water also…
The widespread adoption of nuclear power, which was anticipated more than four decades ago through computer simulations, contrasts sharply with the ongoing reliance on fossil…
Experiment measures the energy spectrum of neutrons emitted from neutron-induced fission. The results of the Chi-Nu physics experiment at the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos…
The potential applications could lead to a net-zero world. As global awareness regarding the environmental and geopolitical impacts of fossil fuel consumption intensifies, nuclear energy…
Fusion nuclear science and technology specializes in investigating the extreme nuclear fusion environment. This environment has very high temperatures, particle fluxes, neutron irradiation, and other harsh…
Photovoltaics may be more practical for long stays on Mars thanks to today’s light, flexible solar panels. According to new research by scientists at the…
Solar and wind farms now cover fields that were abandoned after the nuclear accident in 2011. In 2011, an earthquake and tsunami damaged nuclear reactors…
Power flowing both ways across the Canada–U.S. border offers a pathway to clean electricity in 2050. The urgent need to cut carbon emissions has prompted…
From nuclear proliferation to climate change, Richard K. Lester taps research talent to map a path toward a sustainable planet. Looking back on nearly a…
New research from Texas A&M University scientists could help in boosting the efficiency of nuclear power plants in the near future. By using a combination…
The increase in tritium concentration caused by Fukushima discharge over a decade. Macroscopic and microscopic simulations of Fukushima nuclear accident contaminated water discharge. On August…
On August 8, 2021, an experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) National Ignition Facility (NIF) made a significant step toward ignition, achieving a yield…
Part of the optimization strategy experimentally confirmed / energy losses of the plasma reduced. One of the most important optimization goals underlying the Wendelstein 7-X…
A longstanding interest in radiation’s effects on metals has drawn Michael Short into new areas such as nuclear security and microreactors. Michael Short came to…
Long-theorized phenomenon observed in a working reactor could improve reactor safety, according to a new study. For the first time, the long-theorized neutron-clustering effect in…
Waging a Two-Pronged Campaign Against Climate Change With MIGHTR, MIT PhD student W. Robb Stewart aims to speed construction of new nuclear plants to help…