Explore Nuclear

This cross-sectional cut of a nuclear waste container reveals how spent nuclear fuel assemblies are stored. The wall of the container includes radiation absorbing material and the exterior is covered with heat fins.

Uranium takes its name from a planet in our solar system. Uranium was discovered in 1789 and named after the recently discovered planet Uranus.

There are lots of paths into the nuclear industry that require no formal education.

Companies from across the world are racing to be the first to successfully design and build a Small Modular Reactor.

Fusion is the process that powers the sun and other stars, where hydrogen nuclei fuse together to form helium.

Enrico Fermi lead an experiment on the 2nd of December 1942, initiating the first human-made self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.

Workers observe instruments in the main control room.

A nuclear submarine can remain submerged for months, limited only by the crew’s food supply and psychological endurance.

At 05:29:21 MWT on the 16th of July 1945 the world’s first nuclear weapon was detonated by the United States.

Cherenkov radiation causes a blue shine under water. The phenomenon is caused by charged particles traveling through the medium.

Radiotherapy uses radiation to target and kill cancerous cells. The materials used are typically made in a nuclear reactor.

The Gilbert Lab was a children’s toy which featured real uranium ore and various radiation detectors.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the world’s central intergovernmental forum for cooperation in the nuclear field.

To prevent the unwanted movement of radioactive contamination, portable surface contamination meters are used to monitor people and objects as they leave controlled areas.

Magnox reactors were some of the world’s first commercial nuclear reactors. The name “Magnox” comes from the magnesium-aluminium alloy (Magnesium Non-Oxidising) used to clad the natural uranium fuel rods.

Calder Hall was the world’s first full-scale nuclear power station when it was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1956.

Americium-241 is used as a sealed alpha-emitting source in smoke detectors.

Nuclear propulsion is commonplace in military vessels such as submarines, aircraft carriers, and even ice breakers.

Molten Salt Reactors use a liquid mixture of salts that are kept in a molten state at high temperatures. The nuclear fuel, such as uranium or thorium, is dissolved directly into this molten salt.

Water in a PWR primary circuit is heated to around 300 degrees Celsius and kept under extreme pressure to prevent it from turning to steam.

Our ‘Museum’ section lets you immerse yourself in the incredible moments and items that define the industry. 

Heavy water, sometimes used in reactors, can be lethal in higher concentrations as it inhibits cell division.

Our ‘Comics’ page lets you go on various illustrated adventures through the history, science, and technology of nuclear energy.

Huge steam turbines are used to convert heat into rotational energy. The rotational energy is converted to electricity by generators.

Wilhelm Röntgen took the world’s first medical X-Ray on the 22nd of December 1895. Shown is his wife’s hand, wearing a ring.

The Tōkai Nuclear Power Plant holds the distinction of being Japan’s first commercial nuclear power station. Commissioned in 1966, the reactor was based on the British Magnox design.

Two workers are moving a set of canisters which contain fuel elements. A reactor building can be seen in the background, along with several steam generators.

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered his ‘Atoms for Peace’ speech to the UN General Assembly on December 8, 1953.

A reactor pressure vessel is transported in front of the New York skyline.

Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) are the second most common nuclear reactor type and work by heating water in the core until it turns into steam, which then goes on to drive turbines.