ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Isotopes & Radiation
Members are devoted to applying nuclear science and engineering technologies involving isotopes, radiation applications, and associated equipment in scientific research, development, and industrial processes. Their interests lie primarily in education, industrial uses, biology, medicine, and health physics. Division committees include Analytical Applications of Isotopes and Radiation, Biology and Medicine, Radiation Applications, Radiation Sources and Detection, and Thermal Power Sources.
Meeting Spotlight
International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2025)
April 27–30, 2025
Denver, CO|The Westin Denver Downtown
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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Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2025
Nuclear Technology
May 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Sam Altman steps down as Oklo board chair
Advanced nuclear company Oklo Inc. has new leadership for its board of directors as billionaire Sam Altman is stepping down from the position he has held since 2015. The move is meant to open new partnership opportunities with OpenAI, where Altman is CEO, and other artificial intelligence companies.
W. Van Snyder
Nuclear Technology | Volume 209 | Number 11 | November 2023 | Pages 1840-1858
Note | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2023.2205551
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In April 1961, Atomic Power Development Associates (APDA) produced the “Summary of the APDA Fuel Development Programs.” Chapter XVII described a paste fuel concept. The report noted that there are “advantages inherent in a mobile-fueled reactor.” Patent number 3,169,117, entitled “Nuclear Reactor Paste Fuel Composition,” was issued on May 9, 1961. In May 1964, Argonne National Laboratory produced the “Catalog of Nuclear Reactor Concepts.” The chapter concerning paste fuels concluded: “The few paste-fuel concepts developed to date and the present early stages of such developments show that considerably more work probably will be required before the paste-fuel concept can be considered for commercial development.” This monograph enlarges upon and quantifies the APDA concept, which appears not to have been pursued. Additional passive safety concepts that might also eliminate the need for control assemblies are described. Several important consequences of continuously processed fuel that are not discussed in the APDA report are described in this paper, in particular, that the “iodine pit” startup control instability can be eliminated.