My Nuclear Life

The "best" Doomsday Devices | The Uncover Up

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:53:00 +0000

In this joint episode with The Uncover Up Nathan Radke and Shelly Lesher try to shock each other with the different ways humans have tried or will try to destroy us all. Watch the episode on Youtube at YouTube

The bomber will always get through | Nathan Radke

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:03:00 +0000

Nathan Radke (The Uncover Up) and Shelly Lesher discuss the B-36. You can email us or support us on Patreon
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(New Intro) Challenger Explosion | Adam Higginbotham

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:40:00 +0000

On the 40th Anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, we rerelease this episode with a new introduction to include Ron McNair articles from his home, N.C. A&T Physics.

Black holes, string theory, and public policy | Jim Gates (Sylvester James Gates)

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:03:00 +0000

See what happens when Shelly talks to smarty-pants Jim Gates, says she is not going to talk about String Theory and immediately asks questions about String Theory. Hear about String Theory’s Doppelganger, the history of black holes, fulfilling a dream of riding the Trans-Siberian Railroad, and how it all comes back to nuclear physics.

How much time does the US need to restart nuclear testing? | Hans Kristensen

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:13:00 +0000

How likely is it that the US will restart nuclear testing? How much time would it take? You might be surprised by the answers. Join Shelly as she discusses this and other topics with Hans Kristensen, Director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists. And we find out - things can get much worse.

House of Dynamite | Lee and Nathan

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:53:00 +0000

Lee Kuhln and Nathan Radke join Shelly to talk about the No. 1 Netflix movie - House of Dynamite and answer the question, "Is the movie Dyn-o-mite"?

HItler and the Bomb | Mark Walker

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 08:03:00 +0000

How close were the Germans to building an atomic bomb? What went wrong? Listen to the conversation with historian Mark Walker to find out more.

Hidden in plain sight. The Greenbrier Bunker | Deanna Hylton

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 08:03:00 +0000

Not actually a bunker but a fallout shelter under the Greenbrier Hotel in the hills of West Virginia. Shelly visits the bunker and then speaks with the manager of bunker tours and historian Deanna Hylton.

The Atomic Pilgrim | James Patrick Thomas

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:03:00 +0000

James Patrick Thomas speaks to Shelly about his walk for nuclear disarmament in 1981 which lasted 20 months. Along with 18-19 other pilgrims, James left Washington and journeyed to Bethlehem, walking over 6,700 miles. We hear about his decision to undertake such a monumental task, how the group made a major decision, and if Shelly would do the same thing. >> The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the sponsoring agencies <<

The ethics of human radiation experiments | The Uncover Up

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 09:03:00 +0000

Shelly meets up with Lee Kuhnle and Nathan Radke in Toronto to discuss the ethics behind human radiation experiments. We redefine what "fun" means, Nathan shows off his "ethics" knowledge, and Lee makes the Vatican proud.

Day in the Life of a Nuclear Physicist | Kelly Chipps

Tue, 13 May 2025 08:03:00 +0000

What do you think a nuclear physicist does every day? Lone genius or social butterfly? Listen to find out how Dr Kelly Chipps of Oak Ridge National Laboratory fills her time.

Cold War Human Radiation Experiments | Eileen Welsome

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 08:03:00 +0000

“As all these stories do, it started with a radioactive animal dump in Albuquerque,” is the best first line of a story I have ever heard. Listen as Eileen Welsome and Shelly Lesher discuss some of the medical experiments the US government funded on its own citizens involving radiation without their consent over the decades.

Cold War Kids | Ann Kordas

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 09:57:00 +0000

Ann Kordas joins Shelly to discuss the gendered roles of boys and girls during the Cold War and how children were taught to protect themselves from nuclear annihilation through toys, sitcoms, and government messaging.

Nuclear Christmas List with Kelly Chipps

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 09:03:00 +0000

Ever wonder what to buy with your Christmas money? Need a nuclear themed gift for that nerd in your family? Look no further, Shelly and her friend and fellow nuke, Kelly Chipps found lots of items for you to purchase from eBay to Amazon.

(rerelease) Jimmy Carter - with Jonathan Alter

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 09:03:00 +0000

On December 29, 2024 humanitarian, nuclear engineer, and the 39th president of the US passed away at 100 years old. Please enjoy this rerelease of Episode 35.

Was the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion inevitable? with Adam Higginbotham

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:03:00 +0000

If you were alive at the time, you remember an o-ring caused the January 28, 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger explosion 73 seconds after take off. But was it that simple? Adam Higginbotham discusses his new book, Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space and see how much you really know about that day.

Ray Cats Nuke the Moon

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 09:07:00 +0000

This episode was recorded in Toronto with Nathan Radke and Lee Kuhnle from the UnCover Up Podcast and special guest Nina Weston (a young person). We brainstorm some additional ideas on how to "hide" our nuclear waste far into the future.

The return of Matt Caplan - Twelve Thousand Bombs

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 08:03:00 +0000

Find Matt Caplan's podcast where every you find us.

61. Threads turns 40 with Bob Mielke

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 20:03:00 +0000

Learn about the nuclear horror movie Threads with author Bob Mielke and his new book from Die Die books https://diediebooks.com/products/threads1984

Announcement - Contest & Free Documentary Premiere

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 15:07:00 +0000

Enter our contest to out crazy the crazy email: mynuclearlife@protonmail.com and join My Nuclear Life and The UnCoverUp at our Documentary Premiere. For free tickets email: podcast@theuncoverup.com

The Uranium Show with Lucy Santos

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 10:03:00 +0000

What role has Uranium played in our society? Who was "hotter than radioactive yams"? What do fashionable Uranium prospectors wear? Lucy Santos answers these questions and more when she joins Shelly on this episode.

What should we do with all the ray cats? with Matt Caplan

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 09:03:00 +0000

What if you discovered warning signs of something very dangerous buried deep underground from an ancient civilization? Would you believe the item was dangerous or would you think it was valuable treasure? Would you continue exploring? Find out what could be buried and what Drs. Caplan and Lesher would do with the knowledge. Send an email us to My Nuclear Life or visit our website mynuclearlife.com. Please leave a 5-star review on iTunes and subscribe to My Nuclear Life wherever you listen to podcasts.

The journey of a citizen scientist with Frank von Hippel

Tue, 28 May 2024 09:03:00 +0000

Physicist and activist, Frank von Hippel discusses his career in arms control and what the future may hold for the world. Two corrections – 1) The Nuclear Weapons Freeze march was from the UN to Central park and 2) The banner in the Freeze march said 177 out of 195 towns voted for the Freeze in Vermont, not 193 out of 197.

The Black Sea Experiment: Data taking and legacy

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 09:07:00 +0000

Our team returns to the Soviet Union to take data on the Slava. We hear about the spectroscopy of a nuclear weapon and the legacy of the Black Sea Experiment. Guests include: Steve Fetter, Frank von Hippel, and Tom Cochran

Prelude to the Black Sea Experiment: Soviet Scientists Reach Out

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 09:03:00 +0000

This episode sets the stage for the Black Sea Experiment. We are introduced to Tom Cochran and Frank von Hippel, two people who had a hand in changing the way the US viewed arms control verification. This episode introduces seismic verification, used to verify nuclear tests for decades.

Adventures in Nuclear Risk Reduction - Georgia Pt 2

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:07:00 +0000

Shelly continues her stay in Tbilisi, Georgia and speaks to two Physicists, Giorgia Japaridz (Illia State Univ.) and Revaz Shanidze (Tbilisi State Univ). They discuss what life as a physicist was like under Soviet rule and after Georgian independence. Along the way we learn about scientists who protected nuclear material when security fled, why the Institute’s reactor was unique, and find out how to survive in post-Soviet times. This podcast is in collaboration with The Stanley Center for Peace and Security.

Adventures in Nuclear Risk Reduction - Georgia Pt 1

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 10:07:00 +0000

Spend time with Shelly and two guest as she travels to Tbilsi, Georgia. First she discusses storytelling and Georgian’s atomic Odyssey with Shorena Lortkipanidze from the Civil Council on Defense and Security (Tbilsi, Georgia). Next, Mariam Chabashvidi explains her love for computer programming after Georgian independence and how she became an invaluable member of the nuclear science team at the Institute of Physics in Tbilsi, Georgia. This podcast is in collaboration with The Stanley Center for Peace and Security.

The new face of the nuclear nerd - Miss America (2023) Grace Stanke

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 10:03:00 +0000

Start the New Year off with a bang. Join Shelly & Miss America 2023, nuclear engineer, and fellow Badger Grace Stanke to discuss a range of topics.

Understanding Edward Teller with Istvan Hargittai

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 10:53:00 +0000

What makes Edward Teller tick? Find out with physical chemist and author Istvan Hargittai on this episode.

For the love of lasers with Donna Strickland

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 09:03:00 +0000

Physics Nobel Laureate Donna Strickland talks about all things lasers, how lasers relate to nuclear physics, and explains why she had to pay the long-distance bill to Sweden.

Are radiation limits based on a lie? with Ed Calabrese

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 09:07:00 +0000

Meet Dr. Ed Calabrese, Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, School of Public Health & Health Sciences. Ed has spent years diving into the history of dose response and the Nobel Prize awarded to Hermann Muller for this work.

How to identify Manhattan Project Plutonium with Cody Folden

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:43:00 +0000

How can you find the age of Plutonium? Why is it important? What are the applications? Find out the answer to these questions and more on this episode of My Nuclear Life when Cody Folden joins Shelly Lesher to discuss his paper in the Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry.

Trying to stay alive at the Diefenbunker with Nathan Radke & Lee Kuhnle

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 09:13:00 +0000

My Nuclear Life and The Uncover Up visit the Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum. Join Shelly, Nathan, and Lee as they journey 75 feet underground to compare how the Canadian Government planned to prepare for their survival versus the Civil Defense measured intended for their citizens.

J. Robert Oppenheimer with Kai Bird

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 09:27:00 +0000

Get ready for the summer movie by joining Oppenheimer biographer Kai Bird (author of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer) as he discusses Oppie's life and science.

The 3rd Nuclear Age with Ankit Panda

Tue, 30 May 2023 09:33:00 +0000

What is the 3rd Nuclear Age? Wait, what about the 1st and 2nd? Join Shelly as she speaks to Stanton Senior Fellow Ankit Panda about how the world is grabbling with nuclear proliferation and what challenges we face.

The Origin of the Elements with Artemis Spyrou

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 09:03:00 +0000

Chemical elements make up the matter we observe in the universe but how did they form? How did scientists figure this out and what is left to learn? Artemis Spyrou joins Shelly to discuss the evolution of the elements and the nuclear processes that govern stellar nucleosynthesis.
Find the B2FH paper,
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NIF fusion was a breakthrough, but what kind? with Bob Rosner

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 09:27:00 +0000

In December 2022, Lawrence Livermore's National Ignition Facility (NIF) achieved ignition. Join Shelly as she speaks with Bob Rosner about what this milestone means to Stockpile Stewardship and to physics. Also - learn how cool it is to focus 192 lasers onto a tiny little capsule.
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Article: Bulletin Article

Witnessing the Starfish Prime nuclear test with Jim Burkhart

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 09:57:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to witness an above-ground nuclear weapons test? Shelly is joined by Jim Burkhart who was stationed on the Johnston Atoll in 1962 when the largest nuclear test in outer space was conducted. He will discuss this and other shots during his year "on island" as part of Operation Dominic.

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Solving the solar neutrino problem with Nobel Laureate Art McDonald

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 09:47:00 +0000

From his beginnings as a nuclear physicist to his Nobel Prize-winning work on neutrinos, Arthur McDonald sits down with Shelly Lesher in the studio.
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Is this the year NORAD shoots down Santa? With Martin Pfeiffer

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 10:25:00 +0000

Martin Pfeiffer aka @nuclearanthro joins Shelly to discuss the origin story of NORAD Tracks Santa and why it matters. Not suitable for children and may contain foul language.
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Mom, I'm scared, come pick me up! Students speak out.

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 17:01:00 +0000

Young scientists from the Division of Nuclear Physics (DNP) Conference react to the nuclear weapon talks which opened the conference. Hear their thoughts about the role nuclear scientists play in the future of nuclear policy and disarmament.
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US Nuclear Weapons and the Nuclear Posture Review with Steve Fetter

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 10:49:00 +0000

With all the talk of nuclear weapons in Europe, learn about the US nuclear weapon triad with Dr. Steve Fetter. Recorded live during a nuclear physics conference, Drs. Fetter and Lesher discuss the US Nuclear Posture Review, the US Nuclear Triad, Nuclear Modernization, and the history of ICBMS.

Inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone with Dominik & Lara from ChernobylX

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 09:07:00 +0000

In this episode, we take you inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone with Dominik Orfanus founder of ChernobylX and lead tour guide, Lara Graldina. What is it like inside the "Zone"? Who lives there? What can you do to help? This and more on Episode 38. Note: This episode does not discuss the disaster itself. To hear about that event, listen to Episode 16 - The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Disaster with Adam Higginbotham. Send an email to ChernobylX to find out how you can contribute to their humanitarian work in the Exclusion Zone. Send an email to My Nuclear Life or visit our website mynuclearlife.com. Please leave a 5-star review on iTunes and subscribe to My Nuclear Life wherever you listen to podcasts.

The Baby Tooth Study 2.0 with Marc Weisskopf

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 09:07:00 +0000

The St. Louis Baby Tooth Study has been reimagined. Using the original teeth collected from the children of the 1950s and 1960s Marc Weisskopf and his colleagues at Harvard are seeking to find new answers from old teeth. Shout out to Taz & Mookie Weisskopf who make their presence known on the recording. Note: For background on the Baby Tooth Study listen to Episode 36 first. Artwork from href=https://theappendix.net/issues/2014/10/atomic-anxiety-and-the-tooth-fairy-citizen-science-in-the-midcentury-midwest>Atomic Anxiety and the Tooth Fairy Send an email us to My Nuclear Life or visit our website mynuclearlife.com. Please leave a 5-star review on iTunes and subscribe to My Nuclear Life wherever you listen to podcasts.

St. Louis Baby Tooth Survey with Nina Gilden Seavey

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 09:07:00 +0000

Nina Gilden Seavey discusses how the St. Louis Baby Tooth Survey helped persuade U.S. President Kennedy to sign the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty which ended above-ground nuclear weapons testing in the US, UK, and the Soviet Union. In the process, citizen science was born and children sported cool buttons on their lapels.

What if a nuclear engineer was elected US President? with Jonathan Alter

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 09:03:00 +0000

He was and served as the 39th President of the USA. But before his career in politics, Jimmy Carter was a Navy Nuke under Gen. Rickover. What did he do in the Navy? How did this time in the Nuclear Navy shape his policies? What would happen if someone who thought like a scientist gained access to the highest seat in the land? Find out in this episode when Shelly speaks to Jimmy Carter’s biographer, Jonathan Alter.
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How did the U.S. Government plan for nuclear war without you? with Garrett Graff

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 09:57:00 +0000

Underground nuclear bunkers, the birth of FEMA, secret government plans for the end of the world, and more in this episode. Garrett Graff discusses his book Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself -- While the Rest of Us Die.
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Exploring the end of the world with nuclear literature and Daniel Cordle

Tue, 31 May 2022 09:53:00 +0000

This episode explores how we, as humans, grapple with the end of the world through nuclear literature including fiction, nonfiction, poems, etc. How do we grapple with the "end" if it is caused by humans and how do we explain nuclear events to children? Visit our webpage for a list of books discussed in this episode.
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Shipbuilding with the precision of a watchmaker - ITER with Michael Loughlin

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 09:27:00 +0000

The history of fusion as a source of energy is discussed along with past and current projects. Is a fusion power plant still decades away?
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Can Wargaming teach ethics? With John Emery

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 09:07:00 +0000

What is a war game? How did they shape our understanding of the Cold War? Did the mathematicians or social scientists win the war of the COW game? Learn about issues surrounding wargaming at RAND and elsewhere as Shelly & John dive deep into the question, "Can wargaming teach ethics?" Find John Emery's paper here: Moral Choices without Moral Language
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Nuclear Threat Reduction & Current Events with Matthias Grosse Perdekamp

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 13:41:00 +0000

Special episode on reducing nuclear threat with Prof. Matthias Grosse Perdekamp. Recorded when Russia was invading Ukraine.

Radium & Marie Curie go Goth Rock with Charming Disaster

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 10:07:00 +0000

Today's episode features the musical duo Charming Disaster. They discuss the process of writing their new album based on the life of Marie Curie and the element she discovered, stories that did not make it into their songs, and ways that this album should sound familiar to fans but is also a departure from their usual writing style. Also, Elia & Jeff dispel Shelly's notion of "Goth Rock".
Preorder their new album:Our Lady of Radium
Visit Charming Disaster Website

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Using nuclear science to understand cultural heritage with Michael Wiescher

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 10:53:00 +0000

What role does nuclear science play in understanding art and culture? Michael Wiescher from The University of Notre Dame explains.
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Should Khrushchev receive story credit for Dr. Strangelove? With Nathan and Lee from The UnCover Up

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 10:07:00 +0000

Nathan Radke and Lee Kuhnle from The UnCover Up podcast discuss Dr. Strangelove with Shelly and introduce an interesting conspiracy theory. Lee poses a question on if Nikita Khrushchev should receive story credit for the plot of the movie and backs it up with some interesting history of who could launch a nuclear attack. Wait - did Stanley Kubrick accidentally get it right?
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The movie with the finest ending: Failsafe (1964) with Nathan & Lee from The UnCover Up

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 10:13:00 +0000

Nathan Radke and Lee Kuhnle from The UnCover Up podcast discuss Failsafe (1964) with Shelly and compare it to Dr. Strangelove. Find out what character made Lee want to quit watching Failsafe, who the gang thinks would have a better chance at surviving a nuclear exchange: file clerks or prisoners, and what Shelly wants etched on her tombstone.
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What's with all the Nuclear Movies? With Nathan & Lee from The UnCover Up

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 10:17:00 +0000

Nathan and Lee from the UnCover Up podcast join today’s conversation in discussing their favorite nuclear movies spanning over the decades, involving wars, nuclear disasters, and so much more! Amongst the 100’s of movies, they’ll be touching on just a sampling—this is a conversation you won’t want to miss! Movie links can be found on our website.
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Using radiation as a poison. The murder of Alexander Litvinenko with Pete Burgess

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 10:27:00 +0000

In this episode Pete Burgess discusses the murder of Alexander Litvinenko, a Russian spy who defected to the UK. Why is polonium-210 a good poison? How do you make it? Why wasn’t the public scared it could happen to them? All of those questions and more are answered in this exciting episode.
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How the Norwegians & British ended the Nazi atomic bomb program with Neal Bascomb

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 09:53:00 +0000

In this episode, host Shelly Lesher is joined by Neal Bascomb, author of The Winter Fortress, which tells the story of the plan to sabotage Hitler’s atomic bomb. Listen as Neal tells about the several different missions set out to destroy the Nazi atomic bomb program and how they affected the course of the World War II.
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Finger on the Button: Life as a Cold War Missileer with Col. (Ret.) Charles G. Simpson

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 09:47:00 +0000

Go inside a US missile silo with Col. (Ret.) Charles G. Simpson as he discusses his time as a US Air Force Missileer which started weeks before the Cuban Missile Crisis and ends shortly before the end of the Cold War.
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Scientists as activists, human rights, and ethics with Don Howard

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 10:07:00 +0000

This episode features Don Howard, a Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame with an interest in the ethics of emerging technologies. Shelly & Don explore the ethical considerations behind the Manhattan Project and building the H-bomb, and discuss question such as: Should scientists use their expertise to be involved in politics? What is the moral obligation to one’s work? How are scientists involved in human rights work? and more. Don also shares his moving experiences as a child during the Cold War.
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History of early computing with Thomas Haigh

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 09:07:00 +0000

In this episode Shelly speaks with Thomas Haigh, a historian of computing, about the ENIAC and its influence on nuclear physics. Learn how the ENIAC was more of an experimental apparatus than a computer, the role of women in early computing, why we know so much about the secret h-bomb calculations, what Wikipedia gets wrong, and the confusion surrounding the MANIAC. All of this and more in this super-sized episode.

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The connection between nuclear disarmament, peace, and black freedom with Vincent Intondi

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 09:07:00 +0000

In this episode Shelly is joined by Dr. Vincent Intondi, history professor at Montgomery College in Maryland. He is invited on the podcast today to discuss his recent authorship of his eye opening book entitled African Americans Against the Bomb: Nuclear Weapons, Colonialism, and the Black Freedom Movement. Shelly shares that while reading this book, she was uncomfortable with material, and had to process material from perspectives that she had never considered before. This interview proves to be a true eye-opener for listeners including connections between nuclear weapons and racism, the role of African Americans in nuclear disarmament, and how young people can contribute to new and pressing issues.

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Nuking the Moon and other Shenanigans with The Uncover Up

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 09:07:00 +0000

In this episode, Shelly is joined by 2/3rds of The Uncover Up Conspiracy Podcast, Nathan Radke and Lee Kuhlne. They discuss the Pentagon UFO report, their joint Cold War obsession, what we can learn from conspiracy theory, and various nuclear conspiracy theories.

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The impact of the Cold War on LIGO with Tiffany Nichols

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 09:03:00 +0000

In this episode Shelly speaks to Tiffany Nichols, doctoral candidate at the Department of the History of Science at Harvard University, graduate student affiliate at the Black Hole Initiative and a National Science Foundation grantee. Her research focuses on how place, surrounding environment, and laboratory are embedded in the outputs signals of The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, also known as LIGO.
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Announcement: My Nuclear Life / The UncoverUp Crossover

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 09:07:00 +0000

We are excited to announce our first crossover! Midnight in Chernobyl. Listen as Shelly and Adam talk about his book and about the biggest nuclear disaster in the world. Adam takes the time to share his own research in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the many events that led up to the accident.
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Death by control rod: The story of SL1 with Todd Tucker

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 09:07:00 +0000

In this episode of My Nuclear Life, Shelly speaks with Todd Tucker, author of several books including Atomic America: How a Deadly Explosion and a Feared Admiral changed the Course of Nuclear History published in 2009. Today, the story of SL-1 holds wide appeal yet remains relatively unknown. If you have heard of the explosion you might know of the person impaled by a control rod, a murder suicide plot due to a love triangle or a prank gone wrong. All of this and more is discussed in this episode about the US's deadliest reactor accident.
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How to restart a nuclear reactor in Japan after the Fukushima disaster with Dreux Richard

Tue, 25 May 2021 09:03:00 +0000

In this episode, Shelly Lesher and Dreux Richard author of the book, Every Human Intention: Japan in the New Century, explore the post-Fukushima nuclear regulatory system of Japan and how to determine the safety of restarting nuclear reactors threatened by earthquake faults.
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Soviet bone records, Tom Lehrer, and music for your nuclear protest with Tim & Joanna Smolko

Tue, 11 May 2021 09:03:00 +0000

In this episode of My Nuclear Life, host Shelly Lesher speaks with Tim and Joanna Smolko, authors of Atomic Tunes: The Cold War in American and British Popular Music. They discuss atomic music across the decades including how music influenced The Women’s March for Peace, how Soviet’s made records out of x-ray films, and how David Hasselhoff became a Cold War icon.

Listen along with the Spotify Playlist or at YouTube.

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Deep beneath the surface: Innovating nuclear waste disposal with Elizabeth Muller

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 09:13:00 +0000

In this episode, Lexie Weghorn and Shelly Lesher discuss nuclear waste disposal with Elizabeth Muller, CEO of Deep Isolation. Topics include nuclear energy’s “waste problem”, how nuclear waste is currently stored, and options for our future.
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Hanford Lab Pt. 2: How the DOE got into the museum business with Robert Franklin

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 09:07:00 +0000

In this episode, Shelly continues her conversation with Robert Franklin, Archivist & Oral Historian at the Hanford History Project. They discuss how Hanford's B-Reactor became a Manhattan Project National Historical Site, local vs. national interpretation of history, the local high school mascot, and civil rights.

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Hanford Lab Pt. 1: The triumph of the engineer with Robert Franklin

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 09:03:00 +0000

In this episode, Shelly and Robert Franklin, Archivist & Oral Historian of the Hanford History Project dive into the history of the Hanford Laboratory and B-Reactor located in Washington State. They discuss why this site is the lesser known of the Manhattan project laboratories and what you can see if you visit today.
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Quarky News: Volk Field 1962

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 09:03:00 +0000

In this new segment of My Nuclear Life find out what happens at Volk Field one snowy night in 1962.
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Radium: Luxurious, Beautiful, Expensive, and Modern with Lucy Santos

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 10:03:00 +0000

In this episode Shelly Lesher and Lucy Jane Santos, author of the book Half Lives: The Unlikely History of Radium discuss the beauty industry, salons, and radium in consumer products.

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Nuclear newsletters, queer theory, and Freedom of Information with Martin Pfeiffer

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 10:03:00 +0000

In this episode of My Nuclear Life, host Shelly Lesher interviews Martin Pfeiffer, a Ph.D. student of anthropology at the University of New Mexico. He is best known for his twitter account, @NuclearAnthro. Topics discussed include Sandia National Laboratory Newsletters, the intersection of queer theory and nuclear weapons, The Freedom of Information Act in relation to obtaining material from the Department of Energy, and lots and lots of laughs. Marty's webpage: Pfeiffer Nuclear Weapons and National Security Archive
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The War Science Won? Building the bomb, ingenuity, and politics with Richard Rhodes (Pt. 3)

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 11:03:00 +0000

Part 3 of our conversation with Richard Rhodes, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, The Making of the Atomic Bomb. The conversation picks up the historical narrative of the WWII development and deployment of the atomic bomb right where it left off: with the US engaged in the conflict and scientists gathered in Los Alamos, NM to build the bomb. As the story moves toward its conclusion, listeners hear about the process of building the bomb and the end of the war.
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How to turn the US into a factory: Beer in Hanford, Silver from Fort Knox, and PO Box 1663 with Richard Rhodes (Pt. 2)

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 11:07:00 +0000

In this episode of My Nuclear Life, Shelly Lesher continues her conversation with Richard Rhodes, author of award winning book, The Making of the Atomic Bomb. Their previous conversation left off with the time in history where the atomic bomb was only a theoretical plan in the scientific community. This episode picks back up with Richard introducing a man who managed the atomic bomb project named General Groves. Also discussed are Fermi and the first chain reaction, the risks scientists took to end the war, building the factories to produce bomb material, and preparing to create the bomb itself.
Part 2 of 3.
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How it all began: Europe, fission, and the Nazis with Richard Rhodes (Pt. 1)

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 11:03:00 +0000

Today on My Nuclear Life, host Shelly Lesher speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Rhodes. This conversation has been broken up into three parts. This Part 1 discussion includes topics like the beginning of nuclear science as a field until the Manhattan Project was approved. You will hear parts of a speech in this episode given by Otto Hahn at the University of California, Berkeley and excerpt from Otto Frisch in 1967 from his talk called Fission: How it All Began.
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Sunshine in a bottle. The origins of using radiation as a modern cancer treatment with Aimee Slaughter

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 11:07:00 +0000

In this episode of My Nuclear Life, host Shelly Lesher interviews Aimee Slaughter. They discuss early radium therapy its journey from sideshow attraction to a staple in US hospitals before WWII. This marks the first-time physicists and chemists worked with physicians in hospitals and clinics to brings a treatment to the public with the hopes to cure cancer. The podcast addresses the different ways radium therapy has helped shape the modern technology in our hospitals today.
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Thwarting nuclear ambitions with sanctions: Iran, North Korea, and ... Sweden? with Richard Nephew

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 11:03:00 +0000

In this episode of My Nuclear Life, host Shelly Lesher interviews Richard Nephew. Richard was the lead sanctions expert on the US negotiating team for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - also known as the Iran nuclear deal. He is now a Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. Shelly and Richard discuss the JCPOA, sanctions, and what we might expect from President-elect Biden’s administration.
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How do you celebrate Alaska Statehood? Nuke them a harbor with Dan O'Neill

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 11:01:00 +0000

In this episode of My Nuclear Life, host Shelly Lesher interviews Dan O’Neil. Dan is author of The Firecracker Boys. In this book, he speaks about Project Chariot, a U.S. atomic energy project in Alaska, and how this project was prevented.
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Saving the world with nuclear energy, one microreactor at a time with Leslie Dewan

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 20:13:00 +0000

In this episode of My Nuclear Life, host Shelly Lesher interviews Dr. Leslie Dewan. Leslie earned her PhD in Nuclear Engineering from MIT and is a cofounder of Transatomic Power, one of the first startup companies attempting to bring a Generation IV reactor to market. Leslie’s understanding of nuclear energy has allowed her new company, Criticality Capital, to invest money in the sectors that need it most. Shelly and Leslie discuss how we can improve in the way we harness nuclear energy, and what Leslie sees as the path forward.
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