Afterlife of Atoms: Saving Lives and Exploring Space with Nuclear Waste

Nuclear waste has a bad name. But in the same way we give everyday waste a new life through household recycling, we can give nuclear waste a second life through chemical recycling.

In this talk, nuclear chemist Tim Gregory explores how exotic isotopes in nuclear waste, byproducts of nuclear power, are being transformed into remarkable tools. They can be concocted into nuclear medicines, used to cure and diagnose illnesses on the smallest scale possible: one radioactive atom at a time. And they can be fashioned into long-lasting power sources for spacecraft, enabling the exploration of the solar system and, in the not-too-distant future, thriving settlements on the Moon… and beyond.

Join Tim as he explores the amazing world of radioactive atoms and turns your perception of nuclear waste on its head.

Tim's book "Going Nuclear" will be available to purchase after the talk.

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Event image by Image by Vedrana Filipovic via Unsplash