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Okay, so nuclear power, right?

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I mean, it's kind of scary, isn't it?

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Like glowing green goo and mushroom clouds.

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I mean, but what if there was like a totally different way

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to do nuclear, I mean, a safer way, a cleaner way?

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Well, there might be.

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Oh, really?

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It's called thorium.

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Thorium, huh?

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Okay, I'm listening.

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And actually, it's not just an idea anymore.

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China, they just started up the world's first

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thorium molten salt reactor.

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Wow.

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And they're aiming to have it fully operational by 2029.

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That's incredible.

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Okay, so molten salt, huh?

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Before we get into that,

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could you just give us a really quick nuclear power 101?

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Sure.

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So imagine you have a teeny, tiny atom.

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And I mean like super, super tiny,

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smaller than you can even imagine.

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Okay, got it, tiny atom.

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And you split it.

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When you split that atom,

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it releases a ton of energy,

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like a huge amount of energy as heat.

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Okay.

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And we can use that heat to generate electricity.

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Got it.

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So it's kind of like,

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if you braid a stick,

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you have those smaller pieces, right?

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But you also have that like,

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that little burst of energy, right?

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When you snap it.

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Exactly.

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Okay.

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So like traditional nuclear plants,

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they use uranium for this.

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And they do it all in solid fuel rods.

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But thorium reactors, they're different.

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They use a liquid salt mixture.

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Okay.

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As both the coolant and the fuel source.

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Liquid salt.

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Liquid, okay, now,

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my brain is starting to melt a little bit.

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Yeah.

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What's so special about this liquid salt?

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Why liquid salt?

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From a safety perspective, it's a game changer.

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Oh, really?

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Yeah.

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These salts have these crazy high boiling points,

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like over 1400 degrees Celsius.

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Whoa.

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That means they don't have to be kept under

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like immense pressure,

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like the water that's used in traditional reactors.

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Oh, okay.

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And you know, if you think back to Chernobyl,

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that's what made that disaster so bad.

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Yeah.

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That's the pressure.

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I mean, I don't really want to think about Chernobyl.

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No, nobody does.

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But so this liquid salt,

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it's not gonna, you know.

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Exeload.

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Yeah.

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It's not gonna explode.

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Pretty much no.

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It's like inherently more stable.

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And get this,

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if there is a leak,

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the salt will solidify.

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Yeah.

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Containing the reaction.

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So it's like a self-sealing tire.

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Exactly.

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It prevents a major blowout.

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Wow.

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Yeah.

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And plus, because the fuel's constantly mixing in

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this liquid salt,

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you don't have to shut down the reactor to refuel it,

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which makes it super efficient.

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Oh, wow.

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That is, that's amazing.

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Yeah.

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Okay.

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Molten salt check.

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I get it.

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But let's talk about thorium itself.

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What is, I mean,

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how is it different from the uranium

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that we always hear about?

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So thorium itself,

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it's not directly fissile,

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meaning it can't sustain a chain reaction,

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a nuclear chain reaction on its own.

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Okay.

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But it is what we call fertile.

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Fertile, what do you mean?

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It can create more nuclear fuel.

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Whoa.

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Like think of it like a seed.

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A seed can't feed you directly,

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but if you plant it,

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it can grow into something that you can eat.

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Okay.

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Inside the reactor, thorium absorbs a neutron

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and it transforms into uranium 233, which is fissile.

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Okay.

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And it can sustain that chain reaction.

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Oh, wow.

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And this happens continuously.

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So it's like you're making fuel as the reactor is running.

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Exactly.

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That's incredible.

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So we're not just talking about a different type of reactor.

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We're talking about a completely different fuel source.

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Right.

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What are the advantages

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of using thorium over traditional uranium?

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Well, for one, thorium is much more abundant than uranium.

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Yeah.

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You can find it pretty much everywhere.

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Okay.

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But the really big difference is in the waste.

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Oh yeah, the waste.

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That's always the big concern with nuclear.

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Exactly.

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Thorium produces way, way less radioactive waste.

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Okay.

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And the waste that it does produce decays much, much faster.

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How much faster are we talking?

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We're talking like a thousand to 10,000 times less waste

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than uranium.

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Wait, hold on.

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A thousand to 10,000 times less.

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That's insane.

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Like can you give me a visual?

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Imagine a landfill just overflowing with nuclear waste.

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Yeah.

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That's the legacy of uranium reactors.

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Right.

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Now shrink that entire landfill

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down to the size of a refrigerator.

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That's how much waste you would get

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from a comparable thorium reactor.

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That's incredible.

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It's a huge difference.

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Okay.

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So safer reactors, less waste, more abundant fuel.

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All sounds pretty good.

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But is anybody besides this new project in China

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actually like using thorium reactors?

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You know, it might surprise you to know

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that research on thorium reactors,

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it actually goes back decades.

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Oh really?

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Yeah.

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I didn't know that.

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There were experimental reactors in the United States

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back in the 1960s.

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Oh wow.

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At Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

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But yeah, China is definitely leading the charge right now.

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Yeah, they're really going all in on this clean energy thing.

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What about this pilot plant they built in the Gobi Desert?

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What's the story there?

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Yeah, so they completed that pilot plant in 2021.

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Okay.

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And they picked a very remote location

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in the Gobi Desert, most likely for safety reasons.

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Yeah, probably a good idea.

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But it also highlights a potential downside

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of this technology.

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Oh.

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Scalability.

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Building these reactors in remote locations

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that might work for pilot projects,

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but what happens when we need to scale up

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to meet the energy demands of like entire cities?

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Yeah, yeah, that's a good point.

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I mean, those are some pretty huge infrastructure needs.

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So what are China's plans to scale this up?

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Well, remember that 2029 target date I mentioned

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for the commercial reactor?

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Yeah.

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That's not just any reactor,

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it's gonna be a 60 megawatt behemoth.

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Whoa, okay.

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Yeah.

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And it gets even more interesting.

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China has this massive global infrastructure project

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called the Belt and Road Initiative?

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Yeah, I've heard of that.

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They're basically laying the groundwork

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to potentially become the world's leading energy supplier.

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Wow, they are not messing around.

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Yeah.

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So they're not just thinking about powering China,

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they're thinking globally.

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Right.

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If they pull this off, I mean,

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this could have like huge implications

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for the whole world's energy landscape.

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Absolutely.

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It's almost like a sci-fi movie, you know?

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Yeah.

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It's like a foreign country holding the keys

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to this incredible new energy source.

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But, you know, I guess it makes sense

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when you think about it,

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this whole thorium reactor thing,

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it's not happening in isolation.

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This is part of like this much bigger conversation

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that we're all having about climate change,

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about fossil fuels, about, you know,

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what the future of energy looks like.

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It's like we're all trying to put together

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this giant puzzle.

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Yeah.

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And maybe thorium is like one of the missing pieces.

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It could be.

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But at this point now where,

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I mean, everybody knows we have to move away

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from fossil fuels.

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Right.

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But figuring out how to do that on a global scale,

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I mean, that's really complicated.

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It is.

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It's a huge challenge.

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We hear all the time about renewable energy,

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you know, solar, wind, hydroelectric,

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but those aren't perfect solutions either, are they?

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Exactly.

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I mean, they're amazing.

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Don't get me wrong, they're great.

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Yeah.

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But they're also intermittent.

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Right.

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The sun's not always shining, the wind's not always blowing.

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Right, right.

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So we need something that can provide consistent,

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reliable power no matter what.

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Yeah, we need that baseload power.

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Right, something that can act as a foundation

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for that whole energy grid.

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Exactly.

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And that's where thorium reactors come in.

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Potentially, yeah.

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They could be that reliable baseload power source.

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But without all the baggage of fossil fuels.

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Right.

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And as we talk about, the safety advantages

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over uranium reactors are, I mean, they're huge.

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They are.

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Less waste, less risk, more abundant fuel.

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It's a pretty good package.

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It is.

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But even if the technology is there, you know.

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Yeah.

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There's always that human element, right?

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Yeah.

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And just talk about the economics, the politics of all this.

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I mean, China, inventing so heavily in thorium,

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that could have some pretty major consequences

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for the rest of the world.

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Yeah, you're right.

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It's not just about the technology itself,

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it's about who controls it.

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If China corners the market on thorium reactors,

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it would give them a massive amount of power on the world

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stage.

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Help me understand that.

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Like, what would that kind of power dynamic actually

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look like in real life?

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Imagine multiple countries, depending on China,

284
00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:22,520
for their energy needs.

285
00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,440
Suddenly, trade deals, international relations,

286
00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,120
even military alliances, they could all

287
00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:32,240
be influenced by who has access to this clean energy.

288
00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:32,740
Wow.

289
00:08:32,740 --> 00:08:35,320
It could completely shift the balance of global power.

290
00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:37,160
So this isn't just about clean energy,

291
00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,200
it's about energy dominance.

292
00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,680
This is like something out of a futuristic thriller novel

293
00:08:42,680 --> 00:08:43,200
or something.

294
00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,480
It does kind of have that sci-fi feel to it, doesn't it?

295
00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:48,560
But that's the reality that we're facing.

296
00:08:48,560 --> 00:08:50,800
The decisions that we make about energy now,

297
00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,120
they're going to have ripple effects for generations to come.

298
00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:56,040
I mean, it's a lot to process.

299
00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:57,720
But I think it's so important for people

300
00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:01,920
to understand that this is about way more than just the science.

301
00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,120
This is about economics, it's about politics,

302
00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:05,560
it's about the future of the planet.

303
00:09:05,560 --> 00:09:06,760
Absolutely.

304
00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:08,360
And speaking of the future, I want

305
00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,880
to go back to something that we were talking about earlier.

306
00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:12,440
Radioactive waste.

307
00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:15,520
It's a huge concern with traditional nuclear power,

308
00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,280
but thorium reactors could really change the game.

309
00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:21,160
Yeah, even though thorium produces way less waste,

310
00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,960
we're still talking about radioactive material.

311
00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,440
That has to be carefully managed.

312
00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,600
How do we actually deal with nuclear waste?

313
00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:30,960
That's the big question.

314
00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:32,240
You get in smaller amounts.

315
00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:33,840
Yeah, there are a few different approaches

316
00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:35,720
that people are looking into.

317
00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:39,720
And the best solution probably depends on the type of waste

318
00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:41,640
and where it needs to be stored.

319
00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:46,840
OK, so what are some of the leading contenders

320
00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,000
in the nuclear waste disposal game?

321
00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:53,000
One approach is deep geological disposal.

322
00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,120
Basically, you bury the waste deep underground

323
00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,600
in very stable rock formations.

324
00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,040
There are a few potential sites around the world

325
00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:04,200
that scientists are evaluating for this.

326
00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,520
So you're putting it in a super secure underground vault.

327
00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:08,520
Pretty much, yeah.

328
00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:10,600
The goal is to isolate it from the environment

329
00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,960
for thousands of years, allowing it to decay safely.

330
00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:15,840
OK, what about other options?

331
00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:20,040
I mean, I'm guessing there's no one size fits all solution here.

332
00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:20,960
You're right, there isn't.

333
00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:22,760
Another approach is reprocessing.

334
00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:26,280
That involves separating the usable components from the waste

335
00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:29,640
and then recycling them back into the fuel cycle.

336
00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:33,280
Think of it like recycling paper or plastic,

337
00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:34,920
but for nuclear material.

338
00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,040
OK, so recycling nuclear waste.

339
00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:37,680
Yeah.

340
00:10:37,680 --> 00:10:38,920
That sounds intense.

341
00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:39,320
It is.

342
00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:40,400
It's complex.

343
00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:40,760
Yeah.

344
00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,680
But it could dramatically reduce the amount of waste

345
00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:45,280
that needs to be stored long term.

346
00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:47,080
Yeah, that would be huge.

347
00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:49,160
And then there's this really cool concept

348
00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,800
that a company called Terrapower is developing.

349
00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:53,080
It's called an energy bank.

350
00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:54,240
Oh, yeah, the energy bank.

351
00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:54,600
Yeah.

352
00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:56,080
The giant nuclear battery.

353
00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,200
It's essentially a massive thermal storage system.

354
00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,360
It can absorb excess heat from the reactor

355
00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:03,640
and then release it later when it's needed.

356
00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:06,200
So instead of having to constantly adjust the reactor's

357
00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:10,840
output to match demand, you can store the extra energy.

358
00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:11,640
Exactly.

359
00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:14,240
It's like having this giant energy buffer.

360
00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:14,920
That's amazing.

361
00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:16,760
So you have a study surge in demand.

362
00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:18,680
You can just tap into the energy bank.

363
00:11:18,680 --> 00:11:19,320
Oh, wow.

364
00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:21,600
Instead of having to like ramp up the reactor.

365
00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:22,800
It works the other way, too.

366
00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:23,200
Yeah.

367
00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:26,960
Like if demand is low, you can just store it of extra energy.

368
00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,480
Exactly, it makes integrating nuclear power

369
00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:34,240
into a grid that relies on inamidant renewables like solar

370
00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:36,240
and wind, much more manageable.

371
00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:39,320
Yeah, it's like this energy bank could be the key

372
00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,920
to a really sustainable energy future.

373
00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:42,520
It could be.

374
00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:45,760
I'm really impressed by all the innovation that's

375
00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:46,920
happening in this space.

376
00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:47,320
It is.

377
00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:48,680
It's a really exciting time.

378
00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:49,360
Yeah.

379
00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:54,440
It feels like from futuristic molten salt reactors

380
00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,800
to giant nuclear batteries, it feels

381
00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:01,280
like we're on the edge of this major energy revolution.

382
00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:02,320
I think we are.

383
00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,440
But as with any revolution, there

384
00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:06,000
could be some challenges along the way.

385
00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:06,600
Oh, absolutely.

386
00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,120
We've talked about the potential of thorium reactors,

387
00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:12,400
but it's important to be realistic about the hurdles

388
00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:14,600
that we need to overcome before they can really

389
00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,000
become a mainstream energy source.

390
00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:17,960
Yeah, totally.

391
00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:19,360
And those are the hurdles that we're

392
00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,800
going to be talking about in the final part of our deep dive.

393
00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:22,920
All right.

394
00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:23,480
I'm ready.

395
00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:25,120
Let's do it.

396
00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:29,360
So we've talked about all the amazing potential

397
00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,640
of these thorium reactors, safer, cleaner, less waste.

398
00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:33,920
But let's be real.

399
00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:37,640
If this technology is so great, how come we're not all

400
00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,120
using thorium-powered toasters by now?

401
00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,440
There's got to be some challenges holding it back.

402
00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:43,560
Oh, no, absolutely.

403
00:12:43,560 --> 00:12:44,880
It's not all perfect.

404
00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:48,360
There are some real hurdles that need to be overcome

405
00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:53,000
before these thorium reactors can really become a widespread

406
00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:53,400
thing.

407
00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:54,760
OK, so give it to me straight.

408
00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,040
What are the biggest roadblocks?

409
00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:01,000
Well, one of the biggest is actually a materials problem.

410
00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,880
Remember, we were talking about those molten salts,

411
00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:06,640
the ones that make these reactors so safe?

412
00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:09,360
Well, they also happen to be incredibly corrosive.

413
00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:13,560
Corrosive, meaning they can eat away at the reactor itself.

414
00:13:13,560 --> 00:13:14,120
Exactly.

415
00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,200
We're talking about a liquid that's basically

416
00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,520
superheated lava.

417
00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:24,000
And it can degrade even the toughest materials over time.

418
00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,400
So finding materials that can withstand that for years,

419
00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:29,800
that's a huge engineering challenge.

420
00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:32,080
So it's not just about building the reactor.

421
00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,280
It's about finding stuff that can actually

422
00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,800
hold this molten salt monster.

423
00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:39,920
It's like a material science arms race.

424
00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:40,280
Wow.

425
00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:42,760
And it's not just about the reactor vessel itself.

426
00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:43,480
You need pumps.

427
00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:44,280
You need valves.

428
00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:45,760
You need pipes.

429
00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,240
All kinds of components that need

430
00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:52,520
to be able to operate in this crazy harsh environment.

431
00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:53,040
Yeah.

432
00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:53,800
Yeah.

433
00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:57,280
So we're talking specialized alloys, ceramics,

434
00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:59,000
all this high tech stuff.

435
00:13:59,000 --> 00:13:59,500
Absolutely.

436
00:13:59,500 --> 00:14:01,600
Cutting edge materials that are still being developed.

437
00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:02,280
Yeah.

438
00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,720
And I could only imagine that that stuff is not cheap.

439
00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,080
Does that mean that thorium reactors are just

440
00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,040
too expensive to be practical?

441
00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,000
Well, cost is definitely a big factor.

442
00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:15,320
I mean, building any nuclear reactor is a huge investment.

443
00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,160
And thorium reactors, because they're so new,

444
00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:20,040
they are even more expensive.

445
00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:21,920
There's a lot of uncertainty about how much they'll

446
00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,520
cost to build, how much they'll cost to operate.

447
00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:27,400
So that can make investors a little hesitant.

448
00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:27,640
Yeah.

449
00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:29,880
So it's kind of a chicken and egg situation.

450
00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:30,120
Right.

451
00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:31,960
We need more research and development

452
00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:34,000
to bring the costs down.

453
00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,400
But to get that research funded, you

454
00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:38,640
need a big upfront investment.

455
00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:39,160
Exactly.

456
00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,200
And that's where government support and private investment

457
00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,240
become crucial.

458
00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,320
And we have seen some progress on that front.

459
00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:50,360
But it's still an uphill battle.

460
00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:50,880
OK.

461
00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:54,000
And then there's the whole regulatory landscape.

462
00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:54,240
Right.

463
00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,880
I mean, nuclear power is one of the most heavily regulated

464
00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:58,080
industries in the world.

465
00:14:58,080 --> 00:14:58,560
Absolutely.

466
00:14:58,560 --> 00:14:59,800
And for good reason.

467
00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:00,360
Yeah.

468
00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:04,680
But how do those regulations affect the development

469
00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:05,920
of these thorium reactors?

470
00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:07,760
Well, because thorium reactors are

471
00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:10,720
so different from the traditional uranium reactors,

472
00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:14,040
the existing regulations, they might not be enough.

473
00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:14,400
OK.

474
00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:18,720
They might not really address the unique safety

475
00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,560
and operational aspects of this new technology.

476
00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:23,960
So we might need to update the rollbook.

477
00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:24,520
Yeah.

478
00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:25,080
It's possible.

479
00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,440
Before these reactors can really take off.

480
00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:30,120
It's definitely a possibility.

481
00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:33,120
And creating new regulations, that takes time.

482
00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:33,520
Yeah.

483
00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:35,320
It has to be a really careful process

484
00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,200
to make sure that everything is safe,

485
00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,520
that we're meeting environmental standards.

486
00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:41,600
But we also don't want to stifle innovation.

487
00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:41,840
Right.

488
00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:42,360
It's a balance.

489
00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:43,440
It's a tough balance.

490
00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:44,120
Yeah.

491
00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:45,000
OK.

492
00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:45,760
No easy answer.

493
00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:46,760
Yeah.

494
00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:50,280
But let's try to be optimistic for a second.

495
00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:51,800
Let's say we can overcome all this.

496
00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:52,300
OK.

497
00:15:52,300 --> 00:15:54,680
The materials, the cost, the regulations.

498
00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:58,760
What does a future look like with thorium reactors?

499
00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:00,720
Well, if we can clear those hurdles,

500
00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:03,760
the future is, it's pretty amazing.

501
00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:07,520
Imagine a world where we have abundant, clean energy,

502
00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:11,000
but without the fear of meltdowns or mountains

503
00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:12,840
of radioactive waste.

504
00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:14,920
I mean, thorium reactors, they could completely

505
00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:18,600
change how we power our cities, our industries, even our homes.

506
00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,640
It's like hitting the reset button on our whole relationship

507
00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:22,520
with nuclear power.

508
00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:23,840
Absolutely.

509
00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:27,120
We could finally break our dependence on fossil fuels

510
00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:29,680
and really make some serious progress

511
00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:31,520
in the fight against climate change.

512
00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,200
And beyond the environmental benefits,

513
00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,440
there are economic benefits, geopolitical benefits.

514
00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,160
I mean, countries that embrace this technology,

515
00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:43,040
they could become energy independent.

516
00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:48,360
They could become leaders in this new global energy economy.

517
00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,240
It's a really compelling vision.

518
00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:50,760
It is.

519
00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:55,480
One worth fighting for, even if it means facing some tough

520
00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:56,680
challenges along the way.

521
00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:57,560
Yeah, I agree.

522
00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,560
The potential benefits are just too big to ignore.

523
00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,880
So as we wrap up our deep dive into thorium reactors,

524
00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:08,200
what are the key takeaways you want our listeners to remember?

525
00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:09,480
I think the most important message

526
00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:13,560
is that thorium reactors, they represent a real, tangible path

527
00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:17,040
to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

528
00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:19,600
They offer solutions to some of the biggest problems

529
00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:20,640
that we're facing.

530
00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:22,120
But it's not a magic bullet.

531
00:17:22,120 --> 00:17:23,480
No, it's not a magic bullet.

532
00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:24,560
We still have work to do.

533
00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:25,240
Right.

534
00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:26,440
There are obstacles overcome.

535
00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:27,200
Yes.

536
00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,760
And ultimately, it comes down to making informed choices.

537
00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:33,360
We need to have honest conversations

538
00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:35,480
about the kind of future we want to create.

539
00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:39,360
In thorium reactors, they deserve a place in that conversation.

540
00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:40,120
I think so too.

541
00:17:40,120 --> 00:17:43,360
The transition to a new energy paradigm,

542
00:17:43,360 --> 00:17:45,440
it's going to take collaboration.

543
00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:48,320
It's going to take innovation and a willingness

544
00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,000
to embrace new ideas.

545
00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:51,680
Absolutely.

546
00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:55,440
So to everyone listening, I want to leave you with this.

547
00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:59,560
Imagine a world powered by thorium reactors.

548
00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:00,880
What would your life look like?

549
00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,400
What possibilities would it unlock?

550
00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,000
It's a future worth exploring.

551
00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,840
Thanks for joining us on the deep dive.

552
00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:11,880
All right, so we've covered all this incredible potential

553
00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,960
right with thorium reactors, safer, cleaner, less waste.

554
00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,320
But honestly, if it's so groundbreaking,

555
00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:20,720
why isn't everybody using thorium already?

556
00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:24,160
Why aren't we all making toast with thorium power?

557
00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,880
There's got to be some pretty serious challenges holding

558
00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:27,720
it back, right?

559
00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:31,320
Yeah, it's not all sunshine and rainbows.

560
00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:33,840
There are definitely some hurdles to clear.

561
00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:34,960
OK, so lay it on me.

562
00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:36,200
What are the big ones?

563
00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,440
Like what's standing in the way of the thorium revolution?

564
00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,560
Well, one of the toughest challenges

565
00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,640
is actually a materials problem.

566
00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:45,760
Oh, OK.

567
00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:46,240
Interesting.

568
00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:48,200
You know those molten salts we keep talking about?

569
00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:50,440
Yeah, yeah, the magic molten salts.

570
00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:53,280
The ones that make it all so safe,

571
00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,080
well, they're also super corrosive.

572
00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:58,800
Corrosive, so like they could eat away at the reactor itself.

573
00:18:58,800 --> 00:18:59,320
Exactly.

574
00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,640
We're talking about a liquid that's basically

575
00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:02,960
like super heated lava.

576
00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:03,680
Whoa, OK.

577
00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:08,520
And it can damage even the toughest materials over time.

578
00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:09,040
Yeah.

579
00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:11,240
So finding materials that can withstand

580
00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:16,640
that kind of extreme environment for years on end,

581
00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:18,280
that's a huge engineering challenge.

582
00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:20,080
So it's not even just building the reactor.

583
00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:22,440
It's finding stuff that can actually contain it, right?

584
00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,360
It's like a material science arms race.

585
00:19:25,360 --> 00:19:26,040
Wow.

586
00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:28,800
And it's not just the reactor vessel itself.

587
00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,920
You need pumps and valves and pipes.

588
00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:35,640
All sorts of components that have to operate reliably

589
00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:38,400
in this super harsh environment.

590
00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:41,960
Yeah, so you're talking like super alloys, ceramics.

591
00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:45,160
Yeah, cutting edge materials that are still being developed.

592
00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,040
Yeah, which I imagine is not cheap.

593
00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:49,000
No.

594
00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,600
So I mean, does that make thorium reactors just too

595
00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:55,640
expensive to really be practical?

596
00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:58,680
Cost is definitely a major factor.

597
00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:02,600
I mean, any nuclear reactor is a huge investment.

598
00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,200
And thorium reactors, they're new.

599
00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,760
So they are even more expensive.

600
00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,320
There's just a lot of uncertainty

601
00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:14,800
about the overall cost to build them, to operate them.

602
00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:17,960
And that makes investors kind of hesitant.

603
00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:18,640
Yeah, I get it.

604
00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:20,720
So it's that chicken and egg thing, right?

605
00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:22,200
You need the research and development

606
00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:24,200
to bring the cost down.

607
00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:25,680
But to get the research and development,

608
00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:26,960
you need a lot of money up front.

609
00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:27,520
Exactly.

610
00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:29,680
That's exactly where government support,

611
00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:33,480
private investment, that becomes super important.

612
00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:36,720
And we have seen some progress.

613
00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:40,120
But it's definitely a tough battle.

614
00:20:40,120 --> 00:20:42,520
OK, and then on top of all that,

615
00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:45,040
you have the whole regulatory side of things.

616
00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,640
I mean, nuclear power is probably the most heavily

617
00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:49,040
regulated industry in the world.

618
00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:49,720
Absolutely.

619
00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:52,480
And for good reason.

620
00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,560
But how do those regulations affect

621
00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,120
the development of thorium reactors?

622
00:20:58,120 --> 00:20:59,880
Well, because thorium reactors are

623
00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:03,280
so different from traditional uranium reactors,

624
00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:07,680
the existing regulations, they might not be adequate.

625
00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:08,320
You know what I mean?

626
00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:08,800
Yeah.

627
00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:13,200
They might not totally cover the specific safety

628
00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:17,680
and operational aspects of this new technology.

629
00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:20,480
So we might actually need to change the rules, basically.

630
00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:22,120
Yeah, it's possible.

631
00:21:22,120 --> 00:21:24,600
We might have to update the rule book a little bit.

632
00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:26,680
Before these things can really, really take off.

633
00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:28,280
Yeah, and that takes time.

634
00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,400
Creating new regulations, that's a slow process.

635
00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,320
And it has to be done carefully.

636
00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:34,160
Of course, yeah.

637
00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,640
To make sure that we're meeting safety standards.

638
00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:39,400
We're meeting environmental standards.

639
00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:42,840
But we also, we don't want to stifle innovation.

640
00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:43,840
Right, right.

641
00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:44,920
It's a tough balance.

642
00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:45,360
It is.

643
00:21:45,360 --> 00:21:48,200
OK, so no easy answers here.

644
00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:49,360
No, not really.

645
00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:51,480
But let's try to be optimistic for a minute.

646
00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:55,880
Let's say we clear all these hurdles, the materials,

647
00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:57,920
the cost, the regulations.

648
00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:01,600
What does a future with thorium reactors actually look like?

649
00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:03,320
What's the best case scenario here?

650
00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:05,160
Well, if we can get past all that,

651
00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:08,080
the future is, it's really, really exciting.

652
00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:12,280
I mean, imagine a world where we have all this clean energy,

653
00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:12,760
right?

654
00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:14,280
Abundant clean energy.

655
00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:17,280
But without the fear of meltdown,

656
00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:20,440
without these mountains of radioactive waste,

657
00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:23,520
I mean, thorium reactors, they could completely transform,

658
00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:27,040
like, how we power everything, our cities, our industries,

659
00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:28,520
our homes.

660
00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:30,960
It's almost like hitting the reset button on how

661
00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:32,480
we think about nuclear power.

662
00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:33,160
There really is.

663
00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:37,800
We could finally break our dependence on fossil fuels,

664
00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:39,880
make real progress in fighting climate change.

665
00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:40,520
Absolutely.

666
00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:44,320
And beyond that, beyond the environmental benefits,

667
00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:48,160
there are the economic benefits, the geopolitical benefits.

668
00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:50,440
The countries that embrace this technology,

669
00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:52,880
they could become energy independent.

670
00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,680
They could lead the way in this whole new global energy

671
00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:57,640
economy.

672
00:22:57,640 --> 00:22:59,240
It's a pretty amazing vision.

673
00:22:59,240 --> 00:22:59,640
It is.

674
00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:02,440
And it's one worth fighting for, you know?

675
00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:03,040
Yeah.

676
00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:07,960
Even if it means we got to face some tough challenges

677
00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:08,640
to get there.

678
00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:09,120
I agree.

679
00:23:09,120 --> 00:23:11,000
I think the potential benefits are just,

680
00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:12,200
they're too big to ignore.

681
00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:16,840
So as we wrap up this deep dive into the world of thorium

682
00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:21,080
reactors, what are the key things you want our listeners

683
00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:22,040
to take away from this?

684
00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:23,760
I think the most important thing to remember

685
00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:28,240
is that thorium reactors, they represent a real path forward,

686
00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:32,040
a real way to get to a cleaner, more sustainable energy

687
00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:32,560
future.

688
00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:37,840
They offer solutions to some of the most urgent problems

689
00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:39,440
that humanity is facing.

690
00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:41,080
But it's not a silver bullet.

691
00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:42,960
Yeah, it's not a quick fix.

692
00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:44,880
There's still work to be done.

693
00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:46,760
Right, right.

694
00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:47,640
There are obstacles.

695
00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:48,480
There are challenges.

696
00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:49,080
Absolutely.

697
00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:52,440
It's important to be realistic about that,

698
00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:55,520
to acknowledge both the incredible potential

699
00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:57,840
and the very real challenges.

700
00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:00,040
And I think ultimately it comes down

701
00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:03,320
to making informed choices.

702
00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:05,680
We need to be having these conversations.

703
00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:06,320
We do.

704
00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:09,600
About the future, about the kind of future we want.

705
00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,760
And thorium reactors, they deserve

706
00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:14,080
to be part of that conversation.

707
00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:14,680
I agree.

708
00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:19,320
You know, this transition to a whole new energy paradigm,

709
00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:22,280
it's going to take collaboration.

710
00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:23,800
It's going to take innovation.

711
00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:25,880
And it's going to take a willingness

712
00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:29,280
to try new things, to embrace new ideas.

713
00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:29,840
Absolutely.

714
00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:31,880
So to all of our listeners out there,

715
00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:34,040
I want to leave you with this thought.

716
00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:39,480
Imagine a world powered by thorium reactors.

717
00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:41,720
What would your life be like?

718
00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:43,960
What would be possible?

719
00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:45,280
It's a future worth thinking about.

720
00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:46,920
It's a future worth exploring.

721
00:24:46,920 --> 00:25:15,160
Thanks for joining us on the deep dive.