Digital technologies support operations and automation at facilities handling nuclear material or other radioactive material, potentially leading to increased operational efficiency, reduced labour costs, and better safety and security. However, digital innovations may also pose threats and risks, underscoring the need for robust computer security within a nuclear security regime. What does information and computer security look like in the nuclear world? What are the latest trends within the computer security community? How often do cyberattacks occur? In this episode, the experts answer these questions and more.

Guests:

Robert Lee, Founder and CEO of Dragos

Paul Shanes, Professional Lead for Cyber Security at the United Kingdom’s Office for Nuclear Regulation

Elena Buglova, Director of the Nuclear Security Division at the IAEA

The ocean is both a source of oxygen and a sink for carbon dioxide (CO2). It absorbs about one fourth of all CO2 emissions. While this leaves less CO2 in the atmosphere and mitigates climate change, it makes the ocean more acidic. Ocean acidification has emerged as a global issue because of its effect on marine organisms, ecosystems and livelihoods.

Guests:

Sam Dupont, Professor of Marine Eco-Physiology at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Sarah Flickinger, Associate Research Scientist at the Ocean Acidification International Coordination Center, IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories, Monaco

Celeste Sánchez Noguera, Researcher and Lecturer at the University of Costa Rica

In this episode, experts explain what ocean acidification is and how nuclear techniques contribute to the understanding of this process and its impact. Nuclear techniques enable scientists to study past ocean conditions and forecast future effects of more acidic conditions.

Food safety is a critical aspect of public health and global food security. Since consumers cannot always see, taste or smell the threat of contaminated food, food safety laboratories backed by nuclear science serve as a line of defence to detect and prevent food hazards. And when it comes to the spices, seeds, fruits and vegetables that travel from distant origins to your local grocer, a small dose of radiation helps make it possible for food products to stay safe and fresh without spreading sickness or invasive pests. 

Guests:

Carl Blackburn, Food Irradiation Specialist, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

Shima Shayanfar, Food Scientist, based in the United States of America

Sandy Mookantsa, Principle Scientific Officer, Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory

In this episode, our experts will discuss the importance of food safety, the development of global standards and the role of nuclear techniques. They discuss food irradiation, as well as the role of food safety labs to detect harmful residues of veterinary drugs – such as antibiotics, antihistamines and hormones – and pesticides. This episode concludes our three-part series about nuclear and food.

Good nutrition is essential for good health and well-being. Nuclear techniques, including stable isotope techniques, play an important role in the development, monitoring and impact of interventions against malnutrition. Stable isotopes can be used, for example, to understand how the human body is composed or how much of an ingested nutrient is absorbed and metabolized.

Guests:

Cornelia Loechl, Head of the Nutritional and Health-related Environmental Studies Section at the IAEA

John Speakman, Professor at the University of Aberdeen / Chinese Academy of Sciences

Rebecca Kuriyan Raj, Professor and Head of the Division of Nutrition at St John’s Research Institute in Bangalore, India

In this episode, experts talk about the science behind nuclear techniques in nutrition and their role in supporting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 for zero hunger and SDG 3 for good health and well-being. They discuss the benefits of using nuclear techniques to address malnutrition and how they can help shape nutrition programmes.

What happens when seeds are exposed to microgravity, extreme low temperatures and cosmic radiation? The IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched seeds into space to find out.

The experiment aims to enhance the development of crops that can withstand the effects of climate change and to increase food security on Earth.

It is based on almost 60 years of experience of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture in speeding up plant mutation breeding research using radiation to develop new crop varieties. This episode is a rerun that explains the benefits of plant mutation breeding, which uses radiation to accelerate the natural process of spontaneous genetic variation. 

Guests:

Hugo Campos, Deputy Director General for Research and Development at the International Potato Center, Peru

Lydia Horn, Plant Breeder and Coordinator of the Zero-Emission Research Initiative, University of Namibia

Shoba Sivasankar, Head of Plant Breeding and Genetics at the IAEA

The experts explain the difference between mutation breeding and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and how more resilient and productive crop varieties are developed with the help of radiation. This episode kicks off our three-part series about nuclear and food.

Water is critical for human development and environmental and economic sustainability. Isotopic techniques are used to help assess the quantity, quality and sustainability of this precious resource. Isotope hydrology is a nuclear technique that uncovers how water moves through the land, ocean and atmosphere. This technique provides data to facilitate informed decision making to address water management challenges. In this episode, experts dive into the science behind isotope hydrology, its application in water resource management and how it can help to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.Guests:Robert Kalin, Professor of Environmental Engineering for Sustainability at Strathclyde University, GlasgowJodie Miller, Head of Isotope Hydrology at IAEAChidambaram Sabarathinam, Acting Programme Manager and Research Scientist at the Water Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research

What does nuclear and radiation have to do in the fight against cancer? In this episode, experts explain the key role of radiation-based technologies in comprehensive cancer control.

From diagnosing cancer patients with medical imaging to using life-saving radiation-based treatments, such as radiotherapy and image-guided procedures, nuclear medicine and radiation technologies improve many lives. Access to these tools is of vital importance, and the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative helps to establish and improve access to cancer care in countries that need it most.

Guests:

Lisa Stevens, Director of the Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy, IAEA

Carlos Alberto Buchpiguel, Professor in the Department of Radiology and Oncology at the São Paulo University School of Medicine, Brazil

Mary Nyangasi, Head of the National Cancer Control Program, Ministry of Health, Kenya

The IAEA invites companies and donors to join Rays of Hope. Learn more at iaea.org/rays-of-hope.

Thirty-two countries operate nuclear power plants, which provide some 10 per cent of the world’s electricity and account for 25 per cent of all low-carbon electricity. How many more countries are interested in or embarking on nuclear power? And how does a country develop a nuclear power programme?

In this episode, experts from the IAEA and nuclear newcomers – countries who are interested in or already in the process of introducing nuclear power – explain why countries are turning to nuclear power and discuss the process and challenges in developing a nuclear power programme.

Guests:

Michelle Scott, Senior Infrastructure Expert, IAEA

Robert Sogbadji, Deputy Director, Ghana Ministry of Energy

Mohammad Shawkat Akbar, Project Director, Bangladesh Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant

Nuclear power is harnessed around the world today to produce low-carbon electricity. The convergence of the climate change and energy crises underlines the need for clean, safe and reliable energy sources. In this episode, guests talk about the role of nuclear power to achieve net zero goals and energy security.

Guests:

Bill Gates, Co-founder of Microsoft, Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Founder of Breakthrough Energy, and Founder and Chairman of TerraPower

Henri Paillere, Head of Planning and Economic Studies at IAEA

We ask the experts – Is net zero achievable? Is nuclear power affordable? Why is nuclear considered a flexible source of energy?

Watch the full video interview with Gates on the IAEA website.

For decades, fusion energy has been a distant dream offering the prospect of almost limitless clean energy. But now with burgeoning private sector involvement and major scientific breakthroughs occuring regularly, it seems like fusion's realization is getting closer than ever. In this episode, experts explain the science behind fusion and the challenges that must be overcome before this source of energy could be powering our homes. 

Guests:

Hyun-Kyung Chung, Head of Policy and Strategy Division at the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy

Ian Chapman, CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority

Dennis Whyte, Director of the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center

The experts explain the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor fusion megaproject, better known as ITER, and the steps needed to realize fusion energy. The IAEA fosters international collaboration and coordination to help close the existing gaps in physics, technology and regulation and move forward in developing the peaceful use of fusion energy.