The Atomic Exchange Podcast

In Episode 64 of The Atomic Exchange Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Goran Calic and Michael Tadrous discuss artificial intelligence, what it actually does, and why that matters. Drawing on the idea that AI is best understood not as magic or true intelligence but as a prediction machine, they explore how falling prediction costs change the value of judgment, action, and business decision-making. They also examine the supply side of AI, including why AI differs from earlier software models, and how inference and training create real capacity constraints. Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on AI, business strategy, and the economic logic shaping the next phase of technological change.

In Episode 63 of The Atomic Exchange Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Goran Calic and Michael Tadrous are joined by Daniel Arbour, President and CEO of Oshawa Power, former CEO and Global Head of Shell Mobile Fuelling, and founder of Mountainview Strategy, for a wide-ranging conversation on what it actually means to lead in the energy sector today. Together, they discuss Daniel’s journey from oil and gas into the utility world, what customers really value in energy, why utilities often struggle to innovate, how regulation can hold the sector back, and how energy companies are thinking about reliability, grid modernization, EVs, distributed energy, AI, and rising demand in a changing energy system. Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on leadership, innovation, and the future of energy.

In the 62nd installment of The Atomic Exchange Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Goran Calic and Michael Tadrous unpack the recent strikes on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant and the panic they caused. They explain why a nuclear power plant cannot explode like a nuclear bomb, what the real risks of a direct strike actually are, and why public fear around nuclear often goes far beyond the physics. They also compare nuclear plants to other kinds of major infrastructure, from dams to skyscrapers, and ask why nuclear is still treated so differently.

In the 61st installment of The Atomic Exchange Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Goran Calic and Michael Tadrous are joined by Jennifer Ward, a master’s student in engineering physics at McMaster University, to discuss her path into nuclear and why so many young people still overlook the industry. They explore why energy, and nuclear in particular, can feel uninteresting or distant to younger audiences, how public fears and misunderstandings take shape, and why safety culture and better communication matter so much. Along the way, they also touch on nuclear waste, regulation, SMRs, and why curiosity matters more than fitting some stereotype of who belongs in nuclear. Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on why the industry still struggles to capture the imagination of the next generation.

In the 60th installment of The Atomic Exchange Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Goran Calic and Michael Tadrous are joined by Colby Arsenault, a master’s student in nuclear engineering at McMaster University, for the latest entry in their student spotlight series. They discuss how Colby found his way into nuclear, why portrayals like Chernobyl can sometimes spark curiosity rather than fear, and what his reactor physics research reveals about the future of the industry. The conversation then turns to one of nuclear’s biggest questions: will the future belong to large conventional reactors, SMRs, or microreactors? Tune into this episode for a thoughtful discussion on where nuclear may be headed next.

In the 59th installment of The Atomic Exchange Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Goran Calic and Michael Tadrous are joined by Willow Paraskevas, a McMaster Engineering Physics student, McMaster reactor tour guide, and outreach lead with NAYGN McMaster, for the first episode of a special student spotlight series highlighting emerging voices in nuclear. They discuss why fear, misinformation, and poor communication continue to shape public views of nuclear energy, how younger audiences are engaging with the industry differently, and why honest, accessible communication may matter just as much as technical progress.

In the 58th installment of The Atomic Exchange Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Goran Calic and Michael Tadrous follow up on last week’s Iran discussion and revisit their opposing oil-price predictions. They ask whether Iran’s new leader really changes anything, why Brent crude stayed above $100, and how Iran may still be able to disrupt oil markets without defeating the U.S. Navy directly. The conversation focuses on the Strait of Hormuz, asymmetric tactics, and why insurance risk and commercial hesitation can matter just as much as military force.

In the 57th installment of The Atomic Exchange Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Goran Calic and Michael Tadrous build on last week’s Iran discussion by looking at the country’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. They walk through who he is, why his appointment likely signals continuity rather than change, and what that could mean for Iran’s posture in the war. The conversation then shifts back to energy, focusing on Iran’s oil exports, the Strait of Hormuz, and several scenarios for how the conflict could affect global oil prices in the weeks ahead.

In the 56th installment of The Atomic Exchange Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Goran Calic and Michael Tadrous look at the Iran crisis through an energy lens, focusing less on headlines and more on oil flows. They walk through how disruptions tied to Iran and Venezuela could tighten China’s crude supply, what that means for prices and refineries, and why energy shocks cascade into the broader economy. They close with what China is likely to do next: build more nuclear, electrify faster, and reduce dependence on vulnerable oil routes.

In the 55th installment of the Atomic Exchange Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Goran Calic and Michael Tadrous do a practical walkthrough of the energy landscape. They compare nuclear, natural gas, coal, oil, solar, wind, and hydro in plain terms, focusing on what each source is genuinely good at and where the trade-offs get ignored. The conversation also digs into the less-discussed side of “energy” beyond electricity, like the role of fuels in food, steel, cement, and plastics, and why that matters for real policy and real living standards.