Fissionary
Have you found yourself searching for answers to some of today’s most pressing questions like how to solve the climate crisis and secure our energy independence? Luckily, we have an answer for you—nuclear energy. But don’t just take it from us. Hear from experts, researchers, and influencers (and even a pageant queen!) from a variety of backgrounds as they envision a world powered by clean nuclear energy. Tune into Fissionary on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen
Episodes
The UK once held the crown in nuclear development, and now they are eager to reclaim that title. In this episode, Jordan chats with Millie Beaver, the Public Affairs Director at the Nuclear Industry Association, to explore what’s shaping up to be one of Europe’s most ambitious nuclear projects. They discuss Sizewell C, which will feature two reactors capable of powering six million ...
In much of Africa, the question isn't how to optimize the grid. It's how to build one at all. Princy Mthombeni grew up in a rural South African village without electricity until she was 14 and that experience shapes how she talks about energy today. As founder of Africa4Nuclear, Princy makes the case that nuclear isn't just a power source for the continent; it's a path to jobs, medicine, clean ...
A nuclear renaissance doesn't just happen on paper, it takes thousands of people to design, build, operate, and sustain it. In this episode, Jordan sits down with Callum Thomas, a workforce strategist and talent expert who works across the nuclear sector in the UK, Europe, and beyond, to explore one of the industry's most urgent and underappreciated challenges: building the human infrastructure...
After Fukushima in 2011, Japan went from getting roughly a third of its electricity from nuclear power to running zero reactors for two full years- and spending $270 billion more on fossil fuel imports in the process. Today, Japan's government has reversed course, officially committing to maximize nuclear energy in its national strategic energy plan. Jane Nakano, senior fellow at the Center for...
Germany shut down its last nuclear plants in 2023. Now, the country is asking whether that decision came at a cost. In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan head to Germany to talk with educator and Mothers for Nuclear Deutschland co-founder, Britta Augustin, about the country’s changing nuclear conversation. From rising energy prices and economic pressure to shifting public opinion...
Nuclear is having a global moment and this season of Fissionary is taking you around the world to understand why. In the Season 6 premiere, Mary and Jordan sit down with former diplomat and nuclear policy expert, Justin Friedman, to unpack the rapidly changing international nuclear landscape. From Europe and Southeast Asia to Africa and Latin America, countries are rethinking energy security, e...
Pack your bags because Season 6 is going global! This season, Mary and Jordan travel around the world to explore how different countries are approaching nuclear energy and why the conversation is accelerating everywhere from Japan and Poland to the UK and beyond. From energy security and climate goals to workforce development and innovation, every country has a different nuclear story to tell. ...
Pack your bags, Fissionaries! Season 6 is going global. In this special kickoff episode, Mary and Jordan are joined by an international trade expert from the Nuclear Energy Institute, Stephanie Pronco, for a whirlwind tour of the countries shaping the future of nuclear energy. Through a trivia-style game packed with nuclear facts and surprisingly difficult clues, Steph breaks down how countries...
Sometimes wonder doesn’t come from discovering something new, but from realizing we misunderstood something all along. In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan sit down with Dr. Tim Gregory, senior nuclear chemist at the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory and author of Going Nuclear: How the Atom Will Save the World Read more
What does nuclear energy have to do with your living room? More than you might think. In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan talk with design historian Alessandra Wood about how the Atomic Age reshaped the visual language of the 20th century. From starburst clocks to Sputnik chandeliers, the shapes and symbols of atomic science made their way into furniture, architecture, and everyday o...
When a new technology changes the world overnight, culture feels it first.
In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan sit down with historian Alan Carr and archivist Patty Templeton from Los Alamos National Laboratory to explore how the Atomic Age reshaped not just science, but culture. From the birth of the phrase “Atomic Age” to Godz...
What if turning on the lights wasn’t a given, but a daily question mark?
In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan sit down with Gwen Holdmann, an engineer, energy researcher, and longtime off-grid Alaskan, about what energy access really means in some of the most remote places in the United States. Gwen shares what it was like to liv...
Mosquitoes might be small, but the science used to stop them is anything but. In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan talk with Dr. Zach Adelman, a geneticist and professor of entomology at Texas A&M, about how nuclear science is being used to fight some of the deadliest and most destructive insects on the planet. From malaria-spreading mosquitoes to flies that threaten the global fo...
What if a museum could change the way an entire generation thinks about nuclear?
In this episode, Mary and Jordan sit down with Jennifer Hayden, President and CEO of the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History, to explore how museums spark curiosity, reshape narratives, and make even the most complex topics fee...
What if Walt Disney had actually built the city of the future—powered by nuclear energy?
In the Season 5 premiere of Fissionary, hosts Mary Carpenter and Jordan Houghton sit down with urban planner and author Sam Gennawey to uncover how Walt’s imagination extended far beyond theme parks. From Disneyland to his unrealized vision for Epcot, ...
Every era has its spark- a force that drives imagination, innovation, and the will to build something extraordinary.
Fissionary returns with Season 5: What Powers Wonder, an exploration of how energy fuels creativity, culture, and progress. From life-saving breakthroughs to designs and the boundless imagination of Walt Disney himself, hosts Mary...
The world runs on energy, but the real power comes from curiosity. Fissionary is the podcast that uncovers how nuclear energy shapes our lives in ways you might never expect, from medicine and design to space exploration and climate solutions. Hosted by Mary Carpenter and Jordan Houghton, Fissionary brings together scientists, artists, policymakers, and creators to explore how innovation and im...
Gabriel Ivory, one of the creative forces behind the "I Heart Nuclear" sign at College GameDay, joins us for the season finale of Fissionary to talk about how a bold move turned into a nationwide campaign. Gabriel shares the story behind the sign, the strategy that helped it go viral, and how he’s using his platform to change the conversation around nuclear energy. It’s not j...
When it comes to moving the needle on nuclear energy, support is needed at every level, and Illinois is at a turning point. In this episode of Fissionary, Mary and Jordan sit down with Illinois State Senator Sue Rezin—a longtime advocate for nuclear energy—to talk about lifting the state’s partial...
What happens when a generation raised online realizes that data centers, social media, and streaming all depend on a strained power grid? As climate pressure mounts and digital consumption surges, Gen Z is stepping into the energy conversation—with nuclear power on their radar.
In this episode of Fissionary, hosts Mary and Jordan sit down with J...
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