{"683299":{"#nid":"683299","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Nuclear Power Isn\u2019t What You Think \u2014 and That\u2019s a Good Thing","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNuclear\u201d is a loaded, highly charged word. It can conjure images\u0026nbsp;\u2014 both real and imagined \u2014 of explosive destruction.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENuclear is also a loaded, highly charged technology. A single fuel pellet the size of a pencil eraser \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nuclear.duke-energy.com\/2019\/01\/23\/debunking-9-myths-about-nuclear-energy\u0022\u003Econtains as much energy\u003C\/a\u003E as a metric ton of coal, 150 gallons of oil, or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe technology\u2019s complex history, along with its vast potential, is why nuclear scientists and engineers often find themselves moonlighting as myth busters. Georgia Tech experts are eager to untangle fact from fiction so nuclear can shine \u2014 safely.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am really excited about nuclear, but this is a technology that has a lot of myths and misinformation around it,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/erickson\u0022\u003EAnna Erickson\u003C\/a\u003E, Woodruff Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (ME), and leader of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eti.gatech.edu\/about-us\/\u0022\u003EConsortium for Enabling Technologies and Innovation\u003C\/a\u003E (ETI), which is focused on nuclear technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cConcerns about nuclear weapons, accidents, and waste have overshadowed nuclear energy\u2019s potential as a clean, carbon-free technology,\u201d she added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere, Georgia Tech researchers share what nuclear is, why it\u2019s important, and why its moment is now.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E Nuclear?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNuclear, as indicated by its name, is focused on the nucleus within an atom, but also the atom as a whole,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/biegalski\u0022\u003ESteve Biegalski\u003C\/a\u003E, ME professor and chair of the Nuclear and Radiological Engineering and Medical Physics Program. \u201cFrom an engineering perspective, we\u0027re looking at how we can use the physics of an atom \u2014 and the physics of a nucleus \u2014 to solve different scientific and societal problems.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 1938, German and Austrian scientists discovered that breaking apart an atom\u2019s nucleus creates energy through fission. Many aspects of nuclear science, however, were advanced through the Manhattan Project during World War II, in which the U.S. developed the atomic bombs it later dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. This historical association has likely played a significant role in shaping the negative perception of nuclear technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut nuclear science isn\u2019t only about international power and weapons, Biegalski said. Advances in nuclear science have contributed to life-saving cancer therapies, cutting-edge heart scans, and on-demand X-ray technologies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESafe levels of radiation are all around us \u2014 for example, our imported fruits and vegetables are treated with radiation when they enter the country. Even kitty litter is radioactive \u2014 not very, but detectable by modern sensors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou might have slightly elevated radioactivity for a short while after you eat a banana in the morning,\u201d Erickson said. \u201cOur bodies have evolved to live with radiation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAI Has Entered the Chat\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELately, Erickson has been getting calls from major technology companies with questions about how to power data centers. She isn\u2019t surprised \u2014 nuclear energy is widely being discussed as the way to power the AI revolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u201cToday\u2019s energy needs are very different than they were in the past, and consistent, reliable, and independent electricity production is necessary \u2014 especially for the technology sector,\u201d Erickson explained.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt this stage, it\u2019s not a question of whether nuclear energy can meet those demands, but how quickly we can make it a reality,\u201d she added.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of nuclear\u2019s most distinguishing features is its power density, or how much power is produced by volume of raw material. Another defining feature is its reliability. Wind and solar are weather-dependent and provide power intermittently. Nuclear can supply power around the clock, and data centers require that level of consistency.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are discussions about developing a number of data centers just outside of Atlanta, and those will require full-size nuclear power plants to power them,\u201d Biegalski said. \u201cWhen we look at electricity production, these facilities need power 24\/7, 365 days a year. Nuclear power can supply that, and wind and solar simply cannot.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGreat Power, Great Responsibility\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Erickson, the nuclear reactors in use today are far more advanced than those associated with past disasters like Chernobyl and Three Mile Island.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENew nuclear plants are designed with great efficiency in mind. Coal must be supplied continuously, whereas nuclear can be loaded once and run for years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to dispelling misinformation, nuclear experts are also knowledgeable about nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear security. Georgia Tech is a leader in these areas. Experts like Erickson and Biegalski are regularly tapped to help design new reactors that are popping up across the country.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech-led nuclear consortium, ETI, assesses how emerging technologies help or hurt nuclear nonproliferation efforts. Nuclear nonproliferation is the global effort to minimize the spread of nuclear weapons, technology, and development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of our main missions is to understand expansion of civilian nuclear power through the lens of nuclear safeguards and nonproliferation,\u201d Erickson said. \u201cSpecifically, we want to know how we can best prevent misuse and mishandling of nuclear materials and keep nuclear facilities safe, while also investing in advancing nuclear technology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Shift in Public Opinion\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite the popular culture \u2014 think Homer Simpson\u2019s nuclear plant job handling green slime \u2014 the public is also becoming better informed about nuclear power\u2019s relative safety, especially compared with other energy sources.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn early 2025, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/science\/2025\/06\/05\/americans-views-on-energy-at-the-start-of-trumps-second-term\/\u0022\u003Enearly 6 out of 10 Americans\u003C\/a\u003E supported increased development of nuclear energy. But why are Americans gradually coming around to the idea?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EErickson may have the answer. \u201cThe technology\u2019s potential is catching on across the globe,\u201d she said. \u201cIn France, 70% of their electricity comes from nuclear energy.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor one of her first research projects as a young student, Erickson analyzed what went wrong with the Chernobyl reactors. She understands why people can be wary of nuclear technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDespite the uptick in support for nuclear, people still have concerns we need to answer, rather than just telling people to trust the experts,\u201d Erickson said. \u201cTalking to people is critical in promoting this technology and making sure we keep the public\u2019s trust in this.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are advancing nuclear science and engineering while deconstructing myths around the technology.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers are advancing nuclear science and engineering while deconstructing myths around the technology."}],"uid":"36123","created_gmt":"2025-07-25 18:36:56","changed_gmt":"2025-08-11 20:04:45","author":"Catherine Barzler","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677492":{"id":"677492","type":"image","title":"nuclear-fuel-pellet.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ENuclear fuel pellets are primarily made of uranium dioxide (UO2), a ceramic material. They are typically enriched with uranium-235, an isotope that undergoes nuclear fission to produce energy. (Credit: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1753468624","gmt_created":"2025-07-25 18:37:04","changed":"1753468624","gmt_changed":"2025-07-25 18:37:04","alt":"A white gloved hand holds 3 nuclear pellets with rows of nuclear pellets in the background","file":{"fid":"261395","name":"nuclear-fuel-pellet.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/25\/nuclear-fuel-pellet.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/25\/nuclear-fuel-pellet.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1184804,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/25\/nuclear-fuel-pellet.jpg?itok=H-8CD_li"}},"677494":{"id":"677494","type":"image","title":"annae.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAnna Erickson\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1753471745","gmt_created":"2025-07-25 19:29:05","changed":"1753471745","gmt_changed":"2025-07-25 19:29:05","alt":"A woman with dark hair wearing a black blazer smiles","file":{"fid":"261397","name":"Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-3.01.35-PM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/25\/Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-3.01.35-PM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/25\/Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-3.01.35-PM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2704956,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/25\/Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-3.01.35-PM.png?itok=5EmFjs9r"}},"677495":{"id":"677495","type":"image","title":"steveb.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESteven Biegalski\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1753471862","gmt_created":"2025-07-25 19:31:02","changed":"1753471862","gmt_changed":"2025-07-25 19:31:02","alt":"A man wearing a dark blue blazer smiles with greenery in the background.","file":{"fid":"261398","name":"Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-3.03.14-PM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/25\/Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-3.03.14-PM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/25\/Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-3.03.14-PM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2338378,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/25\/Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-3.03.14-PM.png?itok=ZzLYxFbb"}}},"media_ids":["677492","677494","677495"],"groups":[{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECatherine Barzler, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:catherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecatherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["catherine.barzler@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}