American Nuclear Society

@americannuclear

Not-for-profit professional society dedicated to advancing peaceful uses of #nuclear science and technology. Since 1954. Join us at

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American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Apr 22

ANS CEO Craig Piercy visited Kairos Power’s Hermes demonstration site at Clinch River in Tennessee yesterday: "Watching advanced reactor construction move from paper to poured concrete is exactly the progress our nuclear sector has been working toward. They're doing it right!"

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Apr 2

This is a vital first step for continued operations beyond 2025 — and now it is up to the California Legislature to decide whether to extend operations beyond 2030. (3/3) ⚛️🌎⚡️

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Apr 2

This hard-won decision reflects years of tireless work by Diablo Canyon's workers and supporters, who made the case that a premature closure would harm California's environment, power grid, and economy. (2/3) ⚛️🌎⚡️

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Apr 2

The American Nuclear Society applauds the NRC's 20-year license renewal for Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, California's largest clean energy resource. (1/3) ⚛️🌎⚡️

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Nov 19

TOMORROW: Join us for a webinar at 2 pm ET on the future of #nuclearenergy in South Carolina. Featuring insights from Duke Energy, @thenuclearcompany.bsky.social, the University of South Carolina, and @nucor-corporation.bsky.social.

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Jul 16

80 years ago, at this exact moment, the world changed. 5:29:45 a.m. in the New Mexico desert. On today's #TrinityTest anniversary, let’s honor, remember and reaffirm our commitment to harnessing nuclear technology peacefully for the betterment of humanity: www.ans.org/news/2025-07...

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Jul 9

ANS joined 7 stakeholder orgs in requesting a meeting with Energy Secretary Wright to discuss the restoration of a functioning program to manage and dispose of commercial and defense used #nuclear fuel and waste. Letter: static1.squarespace.com/static/55c4c...

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Jul 4

We received July 4th wishes from the Ukrainian Nuclear Society—hours after Kyiv endured the largest bombings to date. Their resilience & determination embody the very spirit of peaceful #nuclear development. This Independence Day, consider supporting #Ukraine’s nuclear community: www.ans.org/hope

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Jul 4

Today we celebrate American independence—powered in part by nuclear energy: ⚡ Lighting our homes ⚓ Defending liberty on the seas 🏥 Powering lifesaving healthcare 🌎 Advancing a cleaner, more secure world Happy #IndependenceDay from the American Nuclear Society! 🎆🇺🇸⚛️

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Jun 27

Nuclear science🤝 Washington DC We had great turnout and great discussions at yesterday's ANS DC Local Section meeting. Thank you NEI for hosting! ✨

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Jun 23

🎶🎤 #nuclear

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Jun 19

Uranium at Iran’s #Fordow site poses “relatively low” radiological risk if released, says @nucsafetyucs.bsky.social of @ucs.org — though uranium hexafluoride gas can form toxic acid. Still, an underground blast would likely trap most material. @npr.org reports: npr.org/2025/06/18/n...

Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington, D.C., adds that the two major kinds of uranium isotopes found at this type of facility "are at the low end of hazard with regard to radioactive materials."

"So there's not a significant, dire health threat if those materials got released to the environment," he says. "It would probably lead, at most, to a relatively low level of contamination — not zero — but probably fairly close to the site."

One concern is that uranium hexafluoride gas can react with water in the air to form hydrofluoric acid. "That is an acutely hazardous material that can harm or kill people," says Lyman.

But in this case, given that the site is in underground caverns "and the bunker busters are designed to collapse the mountain above it," he says, "any kind of environmental release would be relatively low since it would be essentially inhibited by this mass of rock that's rained down on it."

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Jun 19

Contamination from a strike on Iran’s #Fordow enrichment site would likely stay local — its heavy gas doesn’t travel far, health physicist Emily Caffrey tells @npr.org. @ngreenfieldboyce.bsky.social and @gbrumfiel.bsky.social report: npr.org/2025/06/18/n...

If the U.S. does drop a powerful "bunker buster" bomb on a suspected underground nuclear weapons site in Iran, experts in radiation hazards see little risk of widespread contamination.

The site in question, Iran's mysterious Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, is built into a mountainside and seems to be in the business of processing uranium isotopes. That means it would mostly be working with uranium in the form of a gas called uranium hexafluoride.

Israeli air defense systems fire to intercept Iranian missiles over Tel Aviv before dawn Wednesday. Israel and Iran exchanged fire for a sixth day.
Middle East
Israel and U.S. intelligence differ on status of Iran's nuclear program. Who's right?
"It's a big, heavy gas molecule," says Emily Caffrey, a health physics expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who explains that because this gas molecule is so heavy, "it's likely not going to travel super-far."

Any contamination from an attack would remain fairly localized to the site, she says.

While it's hard to estimate the risks given that the exact type and quantity of the material at the site aren't publicly known, she says, an environmental release likely wouldn't present a problem "for anybody that's not in the immediate area."

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Jun 16

Statement on firing of NRC Commissioner Hanson: www.ans.org/news/2025-06...

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· May 26

This #MemorialDay, the American Nuclear Society honors the soldiers, sailors, airmen, airwomen, and Marines who served and did not return home. We are grateful for their service.

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· May 17

On May 14, ANS members and staff had the honor of joining a very engaged town hall on nuclear energy & used fuel in Tilden, Texas—hosted by McMullen County and America’s Rural Energy Coalition. The turnout was great! A big thank-you to Judge Jim Teal for inviting us! Learn more: www.ans.org/siting

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· May 15

Craig Piercy, Executive Director and CEO of the American Nuclear Society, has been named one of Washington DC's most influential people of 2025 by @washingtonian.com! The article highlights ANS's work in workforce development, public perception, and advanced reactor deployment.

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· May 7

‼️THIS COULD BE YOU! 🏛️Join us tomorrow, May 7, for a special discussion with ANS's past Congressional Fellows. We'll take you behind the curtain of the Glenn T. Seaborg Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship, the policy-making process, and how ANS has had an impact in Washington.

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Apr 23

🌎 Happy Earth Day from ANS!

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Apr 18

@aapmhq.bsky.social fact-checked a @jama.com study claiming CT scans cause 5% of U.S. cancers. The study provides no direct evidence of any person getting cancer from a CT. Underlying disease poses a greater risk than radiation from a CT scan: w3.aapm.org/media/releas...

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Apr 18

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️The American College of Radiology (@acroradonc.bsky.social) is countering alarmist headlines surrounding a @jama.com study claiming CT scans cause 5% of U.S. cancers. ACR said study relies on theoretical models, not real-world outcomes—and that CT imaging saves lives: www.acr.org/News-and-Pub...

Selection of ACR Statement on JAMA CT Scan Radiation Study (Smith-Bindman, et al): The theoretical radiation risk proposed by Smith-Bindman, et al, is consistent with prior statistical modeling studies that are not based on actual patient outcomes. The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement has reported that even with increased CT use, advances in technology and imaging protocol optimization have reduced population radiation burden (medical radiation dose per capita/person). There are no published studies directly linking CT scans (even multiple CT scans) to cancer. Americans should not forgo necessary, life-saving medical imaging and continue to discuss the benefits and risks of these exams with their healthcare providers.

Medical imaging exams – including CT – are a primary factor in declining cancer death rates, and are directly linked to decreased hospital mortality rates and greater life expectancy. Scans reduce invasive surgeries, unnecessary hospital admissions and length of hospital stays.

No medical test, including those utilizing ionizing radiation, should be performed unless the medical benefits gained from the test clearly outweigh any associated risk. Radiologyinfo.org offers easily understood information on imaging and radiation oncology procedures - including how these work, how to prepare for them, benefits and risks, and relative radiation doses used.

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Apr 15

The American Nuclear Society congratulates the Latin American Section of the American Nuclear Society (LAS/ANS) on their 50th anniversary! LAS/ANS has been essential in facilitating #nuclear dialogue and understanding within one of the largest regions of the world.

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Apr 14

2/2: Green ooze. Smokestacks. Mutant fish. The Simpsons ingrained a false image of #nuclear energy into pop culture—but @msnuclearenergy.bsky.social sets the record straight. 📺⚛️ (Full video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj_Y...) #nuclearwaste #usednuclearfuel #nuclearenergy

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Apr 14

1/2: Green ooze. Smokestacks. Mutant fish. The Simpsons ingrained a false image of #nuclear energy into pop culture—but @msnuclearenergy.bsky.social sets the record straight. 📺⚛️ (Full video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj_Y...) #nuclearwaste #usednuclearfuel #nuclearenergy

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Apr 1

"Unless changed, Virginia Clean Economy Act will incur ∼$6B in compliance costs over the next decade," writes ANS 🇺🇸⚛️ in @richmond.com. “[T]hat could be substantially reduced if VCEA were updated to a technology-neutral clean energy standard that includes nuclear.” 🔒 richmond.com/opinion/colu...

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Mar 17

The American #Nuclear Society is accepting applications for the Glenn T. Seaborg Congressional #Science and #Engineering Fellowship! Fellows will work on #energy legislation in the halls of Congress for one year. Apply by June 6: www.ans.org/honors/cfell...

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Feb 14

(1/3): @iaeaorg.bsky.social confirmed that radiation levels inside and outside #Chernobyl remain normal & stable following a drone strike on facility’s protective shield cover, the New Safe Confinement (NSC). There is no indication of a breach in the NSC’s inner containment,...

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Feb 6

"As global energy demand continues to grow, America must lead the commercialization of affordable and abundant nuclear energy," writes new US Energy Secretary Chris Wright in memo to staff. DOE focused on streamlining permitting + growing baseload & dispatchable power: www.energy.gov/articles/sec...

American Nuclear Society@americannuclear· Dec 23

Help bring backup power to a children's rehab center, schools & universities in Ukraine's #nuclear #energy communities this winter. Your contribution will help the facilities get through blackouts caused by attacks on the grid. Donate at ans.org/hope to give to the ENS-ANS humanitarian fund.