Nuclear power has been around for more than half a century, reliably producing affordable, clean energy to power our homes and businesses. But over that time, North American public sentiment towards nuclear has shifted from excitement towards suspicion—even as the threat posed by climate change demands a shift towards more cleaner energy sources, like nuclear. Are pop culture and Hollywood depictions of nuclear technology to blame for changing public attitudes?

On this episode, Osama Baig welcomes Kapil Aggarwal, an OPG expert in the handling of nuclear by-products, Daniel Simpson, a film and curatorial studies PhD candidate from Queen’s University, and Kathy Nosich, an OPG communications specialist. Together with his three guests, Osama investigates the ways in which nuclear power’s image has been shaped by our culture—and explores the urgent need to recast nuclear as the hero of the energy transition story.

Osama Baig's YouTube Channel

Show notes:

[2:09] Find out just how misleading the depictions of nuclear power are on TV’s The Simpsons
[4:10] The ways in which radioactive materials are safely handled by OPG employees
[9:05] Whether you can eat donuts at a nuclear reactor
[10:50] The depiction of nuclear technology in 1950s era science fiction and horror films
[11:40] the use of nuclear technology as a plot device in Hollywood
[12:50] The conflation of nuclear power and nuclear weaponry in film, TV and the public imagination
[21:00] OPG’s plan to correct the record and recast nuclear as the hero of the story in the climate change era

Ontario’s nuclear reactors don’t just generate clean, affordable and reliable electricity. The province’s reactors are also helping doctors save lives and discover medical breakthroughs. Over 40 million nuclear medicine procedures are performed each year around the world, and Ontario’s nuclear reactors play a big part in making these lifesaving treatments available.

On this episode, Osama Baig is joined by Jennifer Chapin, Director of Projects for Laurentis Energy Partners and Dr. David Laidley of London Health Sciences Centre for an in-depth look at the fascinating world of nuclear medicine.

Osama Baig's YouTube Channel

Show notes:

[3:00] Learn how medical isotopes are harvested from a nuclear power reactor

[7:00] How the supply chain for medical isotopes functions in Ontario

[8:25] Ontario’s role in the global supply of medical isotopes

[10:45] The processes through which medical isotopes are used to diagnose and treat diseases

[13:00] The way that medical isotopes interact with the human body and diseases

[18:23] The promising future of cancer treatment using radiopharmaceuticals

When people think about nuclear, they often think about nuclear waste, or by-products. But when it comes to nuclear by-products, myths are more common than facts.
On a mission to set the record straight, host Osama Baig is joined by two nuclear by-product experts: Nuala Zietsma from Ontario Power Generation and Erik Kremer from the Nuclear Waste Management Organization.

• Osama Baig YouTube Channel

Show Notes:

• Learn about the different types of radiation [3:10]
• The categories of nuclear by-products [6:20]
• What fuel bundles look like and how long they last [8:20]
• The amount of nuclear waste in Canada [10:20]
• How nuclear by-products and used nuclear fuel are stored safely [12:00]
• How OPG is prioritizing waste minimization [14:30]
• How nuclear by-products compare to those of other energy sources [16:00]
• Canada’s long-term storage plan for spent nuclear fuel [20:10]
• The international best practice known as Deep Geological Repository [21:43]