Fissionary

Hosted by NEI

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Aug 2026

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About the show

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

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51 recent

August 5, 202627 min

Japan's Nuclear Reset With Jane Nakano

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 Strategic and International Studies, joins Jordan to unpack what actually drove that shift, from rising energy demand and AI-powered data centers to decades of careful, community-by-community rebuilding of trust. Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary . CSIS Website: https://www.csis.org/ Music used in this episode was created by Beat Mekanik Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey

July 23, 202623 min

Germany’s Nuclear Plot Twist With Britta Augustin

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 and growing political support, Britta explains why nuclear is once again becoming part of Germany’s energy debate. Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary . Learn more about Nuklearia https://nuklearia.de/ Music used in this episode was created by Beat Mekanik Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey

July 9, 202629 min

Nuclear Energy’s Global Comeback With Justin Friedman

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, economic prosperity, and what it takes to build reliable power systems for the future. Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary . Music used in this episode was created by Beat Mekanik Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey

June 25, 20261 min

Boarding Call for Season 6

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. So grab your passport, make sure you’re subscribed, and get ready for a season that’s officially cleared for takeoff. Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary . Music used in this trailer was created by Coma-Media Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey

May 27, 202627 min

Nuclear Energy’s World Tour With Stephanie Pronco

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 around the world are approaching nuclear in completely different ways. Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary . Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey Music used in this episode was created by Beat Mekanik

April 2, 202631 min

The Optimism of the Atom With Tim Gregory

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 . Tim shares how his journey from cosmochemistry to nuclear science reshaped the way he thinks about energy, progress, and human flourishing. Together, they explore why nuclear power is often misunderstood, how fear of radiation has shaped public perception, and why energy abundance is foundational to everything from healthcare to economic growth. Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary . Read Tim’s Book: Going Nuclear: How Atomic Energy Will Save the World Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey Music used in this episode was created by Beat Mekanik

March 19, 202633 min

How Nuclear Became a Design Trend With Alessandra Wood

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 objects, transforming fear of new technology into a sense of optimism about the future. Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary . Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey Music used in this episode was created by Beat Mekanik

March 5, 202631 min

From Fallout to Futurism With Los Alamos National Lab

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 Godzilla, Googie architecture, Star Trek, and the nuclear rocket engines that almost took us to Mars, this conversation traces how fear, optimism, and imagination collided in the mid-20th century. Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary . Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey Music used in this episode was created by Beat Mekanik

February 19, 202630 min

How the Arctic Could Run on Nuclear With Gwen Holdmann

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 live for decades without reliable electricity, how fragile Alaska’s power systems really are, and why energy is about far more than convenience when heat can be a matter of survival. Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary . Gwen’s Podcast: Closing The Gap Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey Music used in this episode was created by Beat Mekanik

February 5, 202631 min

How Nuclear Is Stopping Bugs Before They Bite With Zach Adelman

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 food supply, Zach explains how sterile insect techniques work, why radiation is essential to the process, and how these tools have quietly protected human health and agriculture for decades. Along the way, we learn just how sophisticated insects really are, and why controlling them requires a mix of genetics and nuclear science on a serious scale. Visit us at www.nei.org/fissionary . Fissionary Wants To Hear From You! Fill out our short listener survey Music used in this episode was created by Beat Mekanik