

Nuclear Barbarians
Emmet Penney
Emmet Penney talks to experts, workers, journalists, and scholars from all over the world about nuclear energy, energy issues, culture, and society. Subscribe to the substack to get the newsletter and the podcast sent directly to your inbox: https://nuclearbarians.substack.com/ www.nuclearbarbarians.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 7, 2023 • 41min
Hot Takes on Cold Fusion ft. Jonah Messinger
Jonah Messinger wrote a thoughtful piece on cold fusion for the Breakthrough Institute. I brought him on to talk about cold fusion, science as a process vs. science as an institution, and more!Fusion Runs Hot And Cold by Jonah Messinger Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe

May 31, 2023 • 41min
CANDU Supremacy ft. Dr. Chris Keefer
Dr. Chris Keefer of Decouple came on the pod to talk about Canadians for Nuclear Energy’s new report, The Case for CANDU: Why Ontario's Homegrown Nuclear Technology Is Its Best Option In A Time Of Rising Electricity Demand.The Report: https://www.canfornuclearenergy.org/Follow Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dr_KeeferCheck Out Decouple: https://www.decouplemedia.org/ Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe

May 23, 2023 • 53min
Telling Better Energy Stories ft. Collin McLelland
Collin McClelland of Digital Wildcatters joined me to talk about oil and gas, telling better energy stories, and tons more. This is some of the most fun I’ve had hosting the show—hope you guys like it!DW Website: https://digitalwildcatters.com/EQT Documentary: Collin's Twitter: https://twitter.com/fracslapCollin's Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fracslapCollin's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-mclelland/ Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe

May 16, 2023 • 1h 2min
Nukes in the Rat Park ft. Jesse Freeston
Cinematographer and documentarian Jesse Freeston joined me to talk about how he got nukepilled, his wonderful videos for Decouple Studios, the rat park, and how nuclear fits into his view of global flourishing. Check out Jesse’s videos:Inside the World’s BIGGEST Nuclear Plant (the one that got Ontario off coal)How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Nuclear Waste Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe

May 2, 2023 • 1h 3min
The Breakthruvian Turn ft. Alex Trembath
Alex Trembath, the Deputy Director of the Breakthrough Institute, joined me to talk about the deep contradictions in environmentalism, climate anxiety, the Jefferson/Hamilton divide, and much more!Some of Alex’s work.Support Breakthrough.Subscribe to my energy newsletter, Grid Brief. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe

Apr 29, 2023 • 41min
Bonus Episode: Industrial Conservation and the Energy Transition
Earlier this year (February), Paul Diduch invited me to speak at the Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization at CU Boulder. It was my first time ever giving such a lecture and I’m grateful to both him and the Benson Center for the opportunity.This is strictly the audio and the Q&A portion has been edited out as the questions are really difficult to hear. If you’d like to watch it and hear the Q&A, where I whiff on a couple technical questions and Alex Priou of the New Thinkery podcast asks me pointed questions about Nietzsche and nihilism, you can click here. Some have asked me to publish the written version of this. I’m going to try to get to that, but after listening to it I feel there are defects in the argument that I need to fix. So, it may take me a while to get to it. But it will happen this year.Also: this is for Substack subscribers only, as all future bonus content will be. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe

Apr 25, 2023 • 1h 1min
Synthfuels Pt. III Ft. Noah Rettberg
Noah Rettberg returns to the pod to talk to me about synthfuels derived from carbon. We also want Monster Energy to sponsor us. CALL ME MONSTER.Anyone else interested in advertising on the podcast can reach me here: emmet@nuclearbarbarians.com.Nuclear Now.Chicagoans! Get your ticket to see Nuclear Now at the Alamo Drafthouse in Wrigleyville on May 1. Say hey if you see me! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe

Apr 18, 2023 • 41min
AMLO and Pemex ft. Juan David Rojas
Juan David Rojas joined me to talk about AMLO, Pemex, and Mexican energy. AMLO and Mexico’s Fourth Transformation by Juan David Rojas Follow Juan.Subscribe to my energy newsletter.Go see Nuclear Now! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe

5 snips
Apr 10, 2023 • 46min
Texas Nuclear and Hopeful Vibes ft. Grant Dever
Grant Dever, one of the brightest whippersnappers in the whole Lone Star state, joined me to talk about nuclear in Texas, but then the conversation ranged all over the place with a long meditation on hope.Texas Should Continue to Lead in Nuclear Power by Grant DeverSubscribe to Grid Brief.Check out Nuclear Now! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe

Apr 3, 2023 • 49min
What Now? ft. Paris Ortiz-Wines
My good friend and all around nuclear energy badass Paris Ortiz-Wines of Stand Up for Nuclear swung by to talk about what’s changed in the nuclear narrative and what we can and should do about it. It ended up being a far-ranging discussion about fear, hope, and how people change their minds. How can advocates amplify global shifts in the nuclear energy narrative? by Paris Ortiz-WinesCheck out my daily energy newsletter.Go see Nuclear Now! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe