The Audience of Nuclear

Attitudes towards nuclear energy are shifting. A quick search on Narratives reveals that both in the media and in public conversation the top narrative about nuclear energy is about it being a clean source of energy that can help us achieve our sustainable goals.?And that's a narrative that's been prominent for the last couple of years (Jan 2023 - Oct 2024 at least)

For someone who was a kid in the 80s that’s mind blowing. My dad used to take me to anti-nuclear demonstrations and I still remember vividly my parents talking about not being able to buy milk on certain days because the wind had turned, spreading that sweet nuclear dust from Chernobyl onto Italian pastures.

Nuclear used to be either a very subdued subject post Cold War or the domain of environmentalists, activists and a tiny segment of policy makers trying to prevent the next disaster. It was pretty black and white: Nuclear is bad.

Fast forward 40 years and a lot has changed. Today nuclear is a key subject explored by sustainability and clean energy folks and increasingly so a key focus for tech in its voracious quest for energy. An example? Google just announced a deal with Kairos Power to build 7 nuclear reactors to power their data centres to power AI. Along the way a shift has happened: nuclear went from being public enemy number one in the 80s to our best hope to supply the world with semi-endless clean energy.?

What I didn't know is that there's a growing culture around nuclear energy that goes beyond tech, politics and the environment. It's a new ("new"?) aesthetic for a relatively retro future what has its own influencers, formats and tropes, like Isodope (@Isabelle Boemke) for example.

In a way it feels as if we're bridging a gap of 50 years to resume an old dream of exponential progress that we got abruptly woken up from in the 80s. And we're just about managing to fall asleep again and get back to it. Fascinating.

As usual, a lot to unpack so I've enlisted the crucial help of inventor and investor Pablos Holman General Partner at Deep Future to talk about the changing landscape of nuclear tech and how we're starting to rediscover and re-evaluate 50 years of innovation despite all the efforts from Home Simpson. Pablos is, amongst many other things, a Nuclear technology advocate who’s been investing in high-tech solutions that reshape the reality and the narrative around nuclear energy. We delve into the evolving public perception of nuclear energy, exploring its history, challenges, opportunities and potential and the role nuclear can play in both addressing climate change and solving global inequality.

We also talked to James B. of Pulsar to paint a picture of the new audience of Nuclear. James is an Associate Research Director specialised in Energy and Entertainment (I guess he saw that coming?) who delves into the evolving communities surrounding nuclear energy. With audience clusters from progressive activists to Republican supporters, we explore their motivations and perceptions as well as how key influencers such as Isodope shape public opinion - and what that means for future energy policies.

Hosted by: Francesco D’Orazio?

Guests: Pablos Holman, James Box

Produced by: Sal Morton

Music: DJ Tennis

Supported by Pulsar

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