Sabrina Halper Show Isabel Boemeke - The Real Story of Nuclear: Fear, Politics, and the Grid We Need for AI
Nov 27, 2025
Isabel Boemeke, a nuclear energy influencer and the author of "Rad Future," shares her journey from rural Brazil to advocating for nuclear power in the U.S. She discusses the misconceptions surrounding historical nuclear incidents like Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, highlighting the real risks of fossil fuels instead. Isabel dives into the current challenges with uranium supply chains, the potential of small modular reactors, and the cultural factors behind countries shutting down nuclear programs. A passionate campaigner, she aims to ensure a nuclear renaissance for a sustainable future.
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From Rural Brazil To Nuclear Advocacy
- Isabel Boemeke describes moving from rural Brazil to the U.S. and discovering science via Richard Dawkins, which sparked her curiosity.
- A random tweet about molten salt thorium reactors became a breadcrumb that led her into nuclear advocacy.
Weapons Shaped Nuclear Fear
- Nuclear's public fear grew because fission was discovered in wartime and weapon use cemented terrifying imagery.
- That emotional seed made nuclear regulation, secrecy, and activism politically potent for decades.
Three Mile Island's Cultural Impact
- Three Mile Island in 1979 released small amounts of radiation and caused no confirmed deaths, but occurred after The China Syndrome film.
- The accident amplified anti-nuclear protests and canceled many U.S. reactor orders.
