Rad Future

About this book

We're running out of time. Fossil fuels are choking the planet and renewable energy isn't cutting it. The solution has been hiding in plain sight all along. Nuclear. When most people hear that word, they go to a very bad place: bombs, Chernobyl, hazmat suits, radioactive fallout... the stuff of nightmares. But what if everything you think you know about nuclear is wrong? In Rad Future, science influencer Isabelle Boemeke shatters the fear and misinformation surrounding this technology and shows how the actual science tells a different story. It turns out that nuclear-generated electricity--nuclear electricity--is our best option for ensuring the future of the planet. Nuclear can power cities, desalinate water, create carbon-free fertilizer, and heat homes, all with the smallest environmental footprint of any energy source. Boemeke exposes how decades of fearmongering, a few dramatic (but preventable) disasters, and relentless bad PR have convinced the world that nuclear is dangerous when it's actually the key to an affordable, sustainable future. We've fumbled the bag on the cleanest, most powerful energy source we have, and it's time to fix that. This isn't your typical science book. Boemeke's signature mix of humor, sass, and deep research makes Rad Future a wild ride through the science, history, and future of nuclear electricity. From Cold War politics to Hollywood-fueled paranoia to cutting-edge reactor designs, she details exactly how nuclear works and why it's our best shot at ending the climate crisis and creating a future of radical abundance. Rad Future is the first truly accessible breakdown of nuclear electricity, and it will leave you feeling stoked about what's possible.