Uploaded September 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Companies around the world are fighting to buy a rare radioactive substance, despite its $30,000-per-gram price tag. This substance powers emergency exit signs that can stay bright for two decades without power, glow-in-the-dark keychains, and might one day unlock the holy grail of clean energy. What is this mystery substance? Join George as he discovers one of the world’s most expensive materials.
#Tritium
#FusionEnergy
#FusionPower
#NuclearPower
#NuclearScience
#Radioactive
#GlowInTheDark
#ExitSigns
#RareIsotopes
#Science
#Radiation
#EnergyFuture
#NuclearReactors
#RadioactiveWaste
#HeavyWater
#Deuterium
#IsotopeScience
#NuclearTech
#Chemistry
#RenewableEnergy
Credits:
Executive Producer:
Matthew Radcliff
Producers:
Andrew Sobey
Elaine Seward
Darren Weaver
Writers:
George Zaidan
Hosts:
George Zaidan
Scientific Consultants:
Brianne Raccor, Ph.D.
Michelle Boucher, Ph.D.
Bill Garland, Ph.D.
Ben Forget, Ph.D.
Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing
Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell
Reactions is a production of the American Chemical Society.
© 2024 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.
Sources:
The Essential CANDU
unene.ca/essentialcandu/pdf/TheEssentialCANDU.pdf
Radionuclide Basics: Tritium | US EPA
epa.gov/radiation/radionuclide-basics-tritium
U.S. to Put a Civilian Reactor to Military Use - The New York Times
nytimes.com/1997/08/11/us/us-to-put-a-civilian-reactor-to-military-use.html
Commentary: The looming crisis for US tritium production
defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/03/06/commentary-the-looming-crisis-for-us-tritium-production
UK and Canada partner to advance tritium management - Power Engineering International
powerengineeringint.com/nuclear/uk-and-canada-partner-to-advance-tritium-management
AVAILABLITY & SUPPLY OF KEY RESOURCES & TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE REALISATION OF A FUSION PILOT PLANT
science.osti.gov/-/media/fes/pdf/fes-presentations/2022/Pearson_resource-availability-and-supply_presentation.pdf
How a Nuclear Reactor Works | Canadian Nuclear Association
cna.ca/reactors-and-smrs/how-a-nuclear-reactorworks
Fusion power may run out of fuel before it even gets started | Science | AAAS
science.org/content/article/fusion-power-may-run-fuel-even-gets-started
Tritium in Exit Signs | US EPA
epa.gov/radtown/tritium-exit-signs
A New Full 3‐D Model of Cosmogenic Tritium 3H Production in the Atmosphere (CRAC:3H) - Poluianov - 2020 - Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres - Wiley Online Library
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2020JD033147
U.S. Civilian Reactor Produces Tritium | Arms Control Association
armscontrol.org/act/2005-10/us-civilian-reactor-produces-tritium
Deuterium oxide, for NMR, 99.8 atom % D, Thermo Scientific Chemicals, Quantity: 10 mL | Fisher Scientific
fishersci.com/shop/products/deuterium-oxide-nmr-99-8-atom-d-thermo-scientific/AC166300010
Tritium Self Luminous Exit Signs | SL-Tritium | Exit Light Co.
exitlightco.com/product/SLR.html
Fact Sheet: Tritium Production.
nrc.gov/docs/ML0325/ML032521359.pdf
Physics of Uranium and Nuclear Energy - World Nuclear Association
world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/introduction/physics-of-nuclear-energy#
How a Nuclear Reactor Works | Canadian Nuclear Association
cna.ca/reactors-and-smrs/how-a-nuclear-reactorworks
Advanced Fusion Reactors for Space Propulsion and Power Systems
ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20110014263/downloads/20110014263.pdf
Fusion Conditions - EUROfusion
euro-fusion.org/fusion/fusion-conditions/#:~:text=Deuterium%2Dtritium%20fusion%20reactions%20require,of%20power%20to%20the%20fuel.
FIA–2023-FINAL.pdf
fusionindustryassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FIA%E2%80%932023-FINAL.pdf
Companies around the world are fighting to buy a rare radioactive substance, despite its $30,000-per-gram price tag. This substance powers emergency exit signs that can stay bright for two decades without power, glow-in-the-dark keychains, and might one day unlock the holy grail of clean energy. What is this mystery substance? Join George as he discovers one of the world’s most expensive materials.
#Tritium
#FusionEnergy
#FusionPower
#NuclearPower
#NuclearScience
#Radioactive
#GlowInTheDark
#ExitSigns
#RareIsotopes
#Science
#Radiation
#EnergyFuture
#NuclearReactors
#RadioactiveWaste
#HeavyWater
#Deuterium
#IsotopeScience
#NuclearTech
#Chemistry
#RenewableEnergy
Credits:
Executive Producer:
Matthew Radcliff
Producers:
Andrew Sobey
Elaine Seward
Darren Weaver
Writers:
George Zaidan
Hosts:
George Zaidan
Scientific Consultants:
Brianne Raccor, Ph.D.
Michelle Boucher, Ph.D.
Bill Garland, Ph.D.
Ben Forget, Ph.D.
Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing
Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell
Reactions is a production of the American Chemical Society.
© 2024 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.
Sources:
The Essential CANDU
unene.ca/essentialcandu/pdf/TheEssentialCANDU.pdf
Radionuclide Basics: Tritium | US EPA
epa.gov/radiation/radionuclide-basics-tritium
U.S. to Put a Civilian Reactor to Military Use - The New York Times
nytimes.com/1997/08/11/us/us-to-put-a-civilian-reactor-to-military-use.html
Commentary: The looming crisis for US tritium production
defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/03/06/commentary-the-looming-crisis-for-us-tritium-production
UK and Canada partner to advance tritium management - Power Engineering International
powerengineeringint.com/nuclear/uk-and-canada-partner-to-advance-tritium-management
AVAILABLITY & SUPPLY OF KEY RESOURCES & TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE REALISATION OF A FUSION PILOT PLANT
science.osti.gov/-/media/fes/pdf/fes-presentations/2022/Pearson_resource-availability-and-supply_presentation.pdf
How a Nuclear Reactor Works | Canadian Nuclear Association
cna.ca/reactors-and-smrs/how-a-nuclear-reactorworks
Fusion power may run out of fuel before it even gets started | Science | AAAS
science.org/content/article/fusion-power-may-run-fuel-even-gets-started
Tritium in Exit Signs | US EPA
epa.gov/radtown/tritium-exit-signs
A New Full 3‐D Model of Cosmogenic Tritium 3H Production in the Atmosphere (CRAC:3H) - Poluianov - 2020 - Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres - Wiley Online Library
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2020JD033147
U.S. Civilian Reactor Produces Tritium | Arms Control Association
armscontrol.org/act/2005-10/us-civilian-reactor-produces-tritium
Deuterium oxide, for NMR, 99.8 atom % D, Thermo Scientific Chemicals, Quantity: 10 mL | Fisher Scientific
fishersci.com/shop/products/deuterium-oxide-nmr-99-8-atom-d-thermo-scientific/AC166300010
Tritium Self Luminous Exit Signs | SL-Tritium | Exit Light Co.
exitlightco.com/product/SLR.html
Fact Sheet: Tritium Production.
nrc.gov/docs/ML0325/ML032521359.pdf
Physics of Uranium and Nuclear Energy - World Nuclear Association
world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/introduction/physics-of-nuclear-energy#
How a Nuclear Reactor Works | Canadian Nuclear Association
cna.ca/reactors-and-smrs/how-a-nuclear-reactorworks
Advanced Fusion Reactors for Space Propulsion and Power Systems
ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20110014263/downloads/20110014263.pdf
Fusion Conditions - EUROfusion
euro-fusion.org/fusion/fusion-conditions/#:~:text=Deuterium%2Dtritium%20fusion%20reactions%20require,of%20power%20to%20the%20fuel.
FIA–2023-FINAL.pdf
fusionindustryassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FIA%E2%80%932023-FINAL.pdf
