This 11-minute video shows students how attitudes towards nuclear energy have changed since the 1950s, when its arrival was greeted with mass acclaim and its prospects seemed unlimited. The video clarifies why this optimism soured quickly when America experienced its first major nuclear accident at Three Mile Island in 1979, followed by the meltdown at Chernobyl in 1986. The nuclear industry gradually recovered, but was halted in 2011 following the Fukushima meltdown in Japan. In its discussion of the recent re-emergence of nuclear power as a means of mitigating climate change, the video sets up a classroom discussion about whether nuclear power’s benefits outweigh its costs.

Nuclear energy has the promise of providing an abundant energy supply while mitigating the impacts of climate change. Nuclear energy can be a fuel source that helps the world transition away from fossil fuels and move towards renewables like solar, wind, and hydro. Some experts believe it is the safest and cleanest energy that can provide us with an energy rich future. Others claim it poses harmful risks to the planet, equal to those posed by fossil fuels. Students will review the pros and cons of nuclear power and decide whether the benefits outweigh the costs.