In the 1960s, the United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) carried out a fairly large number of investigations into the use of nuclear energy for purposes other than just the production of electricity. One of the major interests was the use of nuclear energy for desalination of seawater (producing fresh water for people and for crops)-and the studies into this area eventually led to an idea, which may find new interest today.

The 296th edition of the Nuclear Energy Blog Carnival has posted at Neutron Bytes.

ANS member Sam Brinton talks about his passion, nuclear waste policy and changing the outdated images of nuclear advocates.

1955 artist's concept of the Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant. (Will Davis collection)

In the previous installment, we looked at the first of four projects to study nuclear power plants in the 1950-1953 time frame, as part of a group of studies for the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). This time we'll look at two more.

The 295th edition of the Nuclear Energy Blog Carnival has posted at Atomic Insights.

The 294th edition of the Nuclear Energy Blog Carnival has posted at Hiroshima Syndrome.

Today's Friday Nuclear Matinee is about using irradiation to improve food safety and quality. It comes to us from the International Atomic Energy Agency.  For more, check out NuclearConnect.org  and the Agriculture Applications. Grab your popcorn and enjoy.

Just before the end of 2015, on December 30, the last operating Magnox reactor anywhere in the world was shut down for the final time, which ended a history for this type dating all the way back to 1956.

The president of the American Nuclear Society, Eugene Grecheck, was interviewed during COP21 in Paris, France. Enjoy this short video.

In last month's ANS Nuclear Cafe articles (1, 2), I discussed the pending closure of the (Entergy operated) FitzPatrick nuclear power plant, and steps needed to prevent its closure. Here, I discuss some recent developments

No more silence. That was the rallying cry of our active band of nuclear supporters at the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris over the past two weeks. The conference brought together nuclear societies, environmentalists, government and young generation representatives who agreed that we need to do a better job of communicating with the public and policymakers and stop allowing anti-nuclear advocates to have the loudest voice. We took a big step with our COP presence.

Starting a nuclear career as a nontraditional student can be daunting. I entered the academic world in 2009 as a 25-year-old with eight years of culinary arts under my belt. I am not your typical nuclear engineering student; I was not a model student and hadn't studied any higher-level math or physics courses in high school. I was a professional cook and chef instructor working with my hands and exploring the world of food for years before making a shift to nuclear.

In 1950, there were few nuclear reactors of any sort operating anywhere in the world, even though it had been eight years since the startup of the very first pile. In that intervening time, the Manhattan Project had given way to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and a variety of reactor types were discussed, debated, designed, and scheduled. None of these was what we today would call a true commercial nuclear plant-built for the purpose of selling electricity to customers. Instead, they were test types, prototypes, and experimental or research types. Large reactors were running at Hanford; these did not produce electricity, but rather plutonium for AEC weapons programs. Atomic energy was still considered far too undeveloped for serious consideration as a straight commercial power producer, and private industry was still barred from most all activities in the nuclear industry, embryonic as it was.

The 287th edition of the Nuclear Energy Blog Carnival has posted at Yes Vermont Yankee.

While the delegates discussing the actual COP agreement are sequestered in a building not accessible to others, there is important work going on elsewhere in Paris when it comes to nuclear energy advocacy. Even if the political solutions don't work here, there is no reason the technical solutions can't continue full steam ahead to produce clean energy for all who want and need it.

This week's Friday Nuclear Matinee is a video from Argonne National Laboratory marking the anniversary of the December 2, 1942, startup of the world's first "atomic chain reacting pile," or the first nuclear reactor constructed and operated anywhere by man.

By T. Marshall

American Nuclear Society President Eugene S. Grecheck and Director of Communications and Outreach Tari Marshall will be in Paris on December 2-9 as observer delegates and to represent one of the lead organizations for Nuclear for Climate. "It is critical that nuclear energy be front and center so that delegates understand the essential role that nuclear will play in reaching climate goals," Grecheck said.

If you were unable to be at the Opening Plenary of the ANS Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., you missed the honoring of two pivotal leaders in nonproliferation efforts: former Secretary of State George Shultz and Dr. Sidney Drell. Both gentlemen were awarded the first Dwight D. Eisenhower Award by the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division of the American Nuclear Society. Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of President Eisenhower, presented the awards.