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Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Sep 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2025
Latest News
NRC to conduct environmental review of GLE’s enrichment facility
As part of its environmental review of Global Laser Enrichment’s planned Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF) in Kentucky, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced it will conduct a scoping process ahead of preparing an environmental impact statement for GLE’s license application. Announced in the September 5 Federal Register, the NRC is seeking written comments on the scope of the EIS until October 6.
Explore the fascinating world of nuclear science—its history, its technologies, and its impact on our lives.
Learn about nuclear science, its history and the processes behind technologies from the past, present and into the future.
Learn More
Learn about the difference between fission and fusion and how nuclear reactors work.
Learn about the types of radiation and their application in medicine, space, agriculture, and more.
How much radiation are you receiving from that chest x-ray? From where you live? Use our calculator to find your estimated annual radiation dose.
Think you know nuclear? Bust the myths, discover the truth!
And the answer is...
Fiction! It is impossible for a nuclear reactor to explode like a nuclear weapon. Nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons contain different materials and use different systems. Nuclear reactors generate energy through a chain reaction that is carefully controlled. In nuclear weapons, the chain reaction is not controlled.
Fact! The "smoke" you see rising from nuclear power plants is water vapor - the same as steam or even a cloud. Nuclear power plants do not burn fuel for heat, so they don't create gases or particulates when they create energy.
Fiction! Nuclear reactors are built with multiple layers of shielding to contain the radioactive substances. If you lived within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant, you would receive an average radiation does of about 0.01 millirem per year. A chest x-ray is about 10 millirem.
Fact! Nuclear power plants are built and maintained to strict standards overseen by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The U.S. Bureau of Labor reports that it is safer to work at a nuclear power plant than at a fast-food restaurant or grocery store.
Fact! A uranium nuclear fuel pellet the size of a gummy bear creates as much energy as one ton of coal ore, 149 gallons of oil, or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas.
