Reactor

Italy's parliament has approved a move toward restarting nuclear power, reversing a stance the country has held since abandoning nuclear energy after referendums following the Chernobyl disaster. The vote opens the way for new nuclear technology, including small modular reactors, as Italy seeks stable low-carbon energy supplies. Supporters frame it as energy security and climate policy; critics recall Italy's long-standing public opposition to nuclear power.

Italy has approved a law allowing the country to produce nuclear energy again, reversing a ban in place for nearly four decades. The move ends a prohibition dating back to referendums after the 1987 vote, and opens the way for new reactors as Italy seeks reliable, low-carbon power and reduced dependence on imported energy.

The United States, Russia and China are competing to place nuclear reactors on the Moon. Washington aims to have one there by 2030, while a Russian-Chinese partnership is targeting 2036. Some leading scientists warn the plan carries serious risks for Earth, since rockets carrying nuclear material can explode during launch.

Italy's Senate has given final approval to a law from Giorgia Meloni's government establishing a new framework for producing nuclear energy, nearly four decades after the country abandoned nuclear power following the 1987 referendum. The government plans to focus on new-generation reactors as part of its energy strategy.

New analysis of uranium cubes from Nazi Germany's wartime nuclear program indicates the country was far from developing an atomic bomb. The findings, reported by Science, show Germany lacked sufficient enriched uranium and a viable reactor design, reinforcing historians' conclusions that its bomb effort never came close to success. The story is drawing broad attention among science and history readers online.

A New York Times report says major powers are competing to deploy nuclear reactors on the Moon, framing lunar energy as the next front in great-power rivalry. Nuclear power is seen as key to sustaining bases through the two-week lunar night, and whoever leads could shape rules for activity on the Moon.

Nvidia has invested in Reactor, a startup working on world models — AI systems designed to understand and simulate physical environments. The backing comes as interest in world models intensifies across the AI industry, with major labs and investors treating the technology as a key next step beyond large language models. Nvidia's involvement signals its continued push to shape the direction of frontier AI development.

A 2014 paper details how Los Alamos scientists used the ENIAC computer in 1947–1948 to run Monte Carlo simulations of nuclear processes, an early landmark in computational physics. Readers are revisiting the account of how a machine built for wartime ballistics calculations became a tool for probabilistic modeling of atomic weapons and reactor physics.

Unit 7 at the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in China has achieved a self-sustaining controlled nuclear chain reaction and reached its minimum controllable power level, a key milestone before the reactor begins commercial operation. Nuclear energy observers are following the commissioning progress of the new unit closely.

A report describes a renewed competition between major powers to deploy nuclear reactors on the Moon, framing lunar nuclear power as the next frontier in strategic rivalry. Reactors would allow continuous power on the lunar surface through the two-week night, supporting permanent bases. The story highlights how space infrastructure is increasingly tied to national prestige and geopolitical influence.

Scientists held a series of talks covering nuclear topics, including plutonium production in fast reactors, the effects of nuclear war on water cycles, measurements at nuclear weapon test sites, remote detection of test explosions, and the links between sustainability and nuclear non-proliferation. The sessions combined technical nuclear science with arms-control and policy concerns, reflecting growing attention to both civilian reactor technology and the consequences of nuclear conflict.

Nvidia has invested in Reactor, a startup building world models, as investors pour large sums into companies developing AI systems that simulate physical environments. The funding reflects growing interest in world model startups, seen as a next step beyond language models, with Nvidia's backing signaling confidence in the sector's commercial potential.

A $120 billion framework agreement has been outlined to build six Westinghouse AP1000 reactors and two South Korean APR1400 units in the United States. The plan was announced by the US Commerce Department, marking one of the largest nuclear construction agreements to date and deepening US–South Korea energy cooperation.

US senators say a vote on the Trump administration's nuclear power agreement with Saudi Arabia is expected after the midterm elections. The pact, known as a 123 agreement, would open the way for American companies to help build Saudi nuclear reactors. Lawmakers have debated whether it should include commitments that Riyadh will not enrich uranium, given concerns about nuclear proliferation in the Gulf region.

Russia's fleet of nuclear power plants, many built in the Soviet era, is approaching the end of its designed lifespan, raising the question of who will fund their decommissioning. The dismantling of obsolete reactors is costly and complex, and analysts are questioning whether Russia's state nuclear sector can shoulder the financial burden.

China has developed a plant capable of extracting hydrogen, fresh water and uranium directly from seawater, according to the South China Morning Post. If scaled up, the technology could provide clean fuel, drinking water and nuclear reactor material from the ocean, and observers are weighing both its strategic energy implications and how practical large-scale deployment would be.

Japan's plans to expand its nuclear power capacity are colliding with a difficult geopolitical environment, according to a Firstpost report. The country has been pushing to restart reactors and invest in new nuclear capacity to secure energy supplies, but international tensions and regional security concerns are complicating that effort. Details of the specific obstacles and how Tokyo plans to respond remain limited in the available reporting.

The SETI Institute is highlighting a new episode of its Big Picture Science programme, 'Skeptic Check: Sunny Daze', examining sunlight's effects on human health. The sun bombards Earth with radiation that can be harmful in excess, but recent studies suggest moderate exposure offers real benefits. The discussion explores the balance between the risks and rewards of catching some rays.

West Virginia's interest in nuclear power is back in focus as WOWK 13 News dedicates a segment of its Inside West Virginia Politics program to nuclear energy and the question of waste storage. The discussion comes as more US states weigh small modular reactors and how to handle spent fuel. The program looks at what nuclear development could mean for the state's economy and energy mix.

Discussion is focused on how soon small modular reactors could realistically be deployed. The debate centres on whether SMR technology is genuinely near commercial readiness or still years away, with questions about costs, regulatory approvals and construction timelines dominating the conversation as interest in nuclear power as a climate solution grows.

The United States, China and Russia are competing to deploy the first nuclear reactor on the Moon. According to The New York Times, NASA aims to launch its reactor by the end of 2030. A reactor is considered essential for future permanent lunar bases, since solar panels are ineffective during the lunar night, which lasts more than two weeks.

Viaro Energy has announced a partnership with Terrestrial Energy to evaluate molten salt reactor technology for decarbonising UK industrial operations. The collaboration will assess how advanced nuclear heat could replace fossil fuels in energy-intensive industrial processes, supporting Britain's push toward net-zero emissions.

The second RITM-200C small modular reactor has been manufactured for a floating nuclear power plant intended to supply electricity to a copper mining centre in Chukotka, Russia. The news highlights the growing role of small modular reactors in powering remote industrial sites.

Tokyo Electric Power Company has started inserting a robotic arm into the damaged Fukushima Daiichi reactor to retrieve melted nuclear fuel debris, a key step in the plant's decades-long decommissioning. The operation, repeatedly delayed, is being closely watched as a test of whether remote technology can handle material too radioactive for workers to approach.

Nuclear startups are attracting growing amounts of venture funding, according to a Crunchbase News report, even as publicly listed companies in the nuclear sector have seen their stock valuations decline. The contrast highlights a split between private investors betting on new reactor and nuclear technology ventures and public-market investors pulling back from the industry's listed players.

Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation, has identified four key issues that arise when building nuclear power plants in different countries, according to World Nuclear News. The company, which is one of the world's largest suppliers of nuclear reactors, regularly highlights the regulatory, financial, infrastructure and workforce challenges involved in delivering projects for international customers.