The State of the Atom

[@scottmedwid1818]

I’m literally sitting with an ice pack on my forehead after bonking my head on a rafter. I turned on KZbin to take my mind off the ice and this is the first video that popped up on my feed. I thought I was seeing double.

[@ninefox344]

These episodes always make Monday more bearable. Thanks Decouple team!

[@philbiker3]

LOL some of them... The Malthusian episodes can be tough (Nate Hagens).

[@mr.makeit4037]

I am 62. And a boomer. I'm very pro nuclear and not a boomer doomer. Like with any group, you have your followers who may be pessimistic and a few who follow their own lead, making them optimistic.

[@vadymurasov2381]

always a pleasure to hear Mark!

[@scottmedwid1818]

People are recognizing that electricity is not a commodity. Electricity is a Service. And people depend on that service.

[@chapter4travels]

Next, they have to recognize that electricity is only about 20% of total energy demand. Electrifying everything is the same myth that the all-renewables crowd uses.

[@ChitranjanBaghiofficial]

channel name should be, let's couple moustache media.

[@1danacom]

Russia never said to Germany we will turn off your energy, someone else did that !

[@andrewdewit4711]

Fascinating insights and commentary. Especially the last section on S Korean nuclear, UAE, and ongoing Saudi initiatives.

[@gordonmcdowell]

Liked the insight that optimistic people are drawn to nuclear. Rings true.

[@danadurnfordkevinblanchdebunk]

AOC's comment is not surprising. Anyone who fully understands the topic cannot be antinuclear energy.

[@chapter4travels]

Unless they are profiting from a "crisis" without a solution. “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.” ― Rahm Emanuel

[@peteriscurious]

Great discussion! While it does not contradict the argument about countries feeling vulnerable about the prospect of energy supply lines getting cut: it was not Russia that cut the lines or stopped the supply. The latter was the German govs decision; the former that of the US.

[@AshleyZinyk]

I actually thought you and Mark Nelson were the same person until I saw you side by side.

[@JensHove]

😂🤣

[@peredavi]

Eye exam lately?🤣

[@elefanny1106]

Gas hole pumping mustached men was the search. This is what was rendered.

[@colinmegson7107]

Mark Nelson may think adding 'large modular reactors' to the nuclear lexicon ups his status, but it certainly does not in my eyes. 'Big-Nuclear' is separated from SMRs by being mainly site constructed and having some sub-asseblies (not modules) that have far greater complex issues of transport to site. The BWRX-300 may have an OCC lower than 50% per kW of the OCC of 'Big-Nuclear'. To the poorest in society and to underdeveloped and developing nations, every penny saved in the cost of energy contributes to a better life. It would be good to hear Mark Nelson state one advantage 'Big-Nuclear' has over SMRs, because it's easy enough to come up with several advantages SMRs have over 'Big-Nuclear'.

[@simonp.michaux1638]

The lightning charge of the mustaches. Great interview guys

[@FernandoWINSANTO]

Uneven moustache is not so great.

[@ephraimsanford5042]

Great last point on how even left politicians are now appearing to drop the reflexive anti-nuclear ideology and consider the facts.

[@danadurnfordkevinblanchdebunk]

It's inevitable. No one who knows the topic fully could ever be antinuclear energy.

[@happyhome41]

Aren't there $billions (real money) going into a couple of demonstration SMRs in Idaho ? And doesn't one of the SMR designs go toward an answer to "burning" the long-lived actinides ? Superlative episode. Oh, and WHERE might we follow the daily updates on Vogtle 3 ? I don't see it anywhere.

[@bellakrinkle9381]

The Saudis, realizing that their OIL FIELDS are DWINDLING, have accurate insight of their future.

[@chapter4travels]

Keep an eye on Canada's own Terrestrial energy, they are very far along in the Licensing process. They could sell a whole lot of reactors without any of them making electricity.

[@peredavi]

Big surprise that Germany has latched on to Zero Carbon religion and anti nuclear. They fell for National Socialism. Why not Zero Carbon?🤣

[@billyjoeallen]

The Neutron Economy (TM)

[@rd264]

SMR and advanced nuclear is great but it does not solve the overpopulation problem

[@chapter4travels]

Then it's a good thing there is no overpopulation problem, just the opposite is true. Birth rates are falling like a stone and the ramifications will be rough for most countries.

[@janklaas6885]

44:36

[@huxley49620]

I think that Bitcoin mining is going to revolutionise nuclear.

[@keva2751]

Wow th3se guys are dense.

[@coldspring22]

Nice discussion, but what is point of building all these nuclear plants given very limited availaility of uranium nuclear fuels? If world is fully powered on nuclear, uranium deposits would last only 5 years. It seems to me that it was a monumental mistake to abandon thorium nuclear reactors which was championed by Alvin Weinberg back in 1970's. There are thousands of years of Thorium as fuel for nuclear reactor vs mere 5 years of uranium. It's obvious nuclear development made a very wrong turn in this fork of the road.

[@chapter4travels]

Actually, we have about 2 billion years worth of each. To utilize thorium you need a breeder reactor, and if you have a breeder, uranium is easier and simpler to breed. Uranium is a much better fuel all around. One day in a few billion years thorium will be necessary but for now, it's a distraction.