- OUTLOOK
Fission facilities that fit in a truck could provide portable power where it’s needed — but some people question whether it’s worth the cost, safety compromises and the risk of sending the raw materials for bombs into communities.
By
- Katherine Bourzac0
-
Katherine Bourzac
-
Katherine Bourzac is a freelance journalist in San Francisco, California.
-
- Bluesky
- X
View saved research
Illustration: Janelle Barone
Imagine a nuclear reactor that is small enough to be transported on an aeroplane or inside a shipping container, and loaded with ten years’ worth of fuel. This kind of microreactor, say its proponents, could be shipped straight from factories to remote areas where electricity is expensive, such as rural Alaska and remote mining sites, or even extraterrestrial bases. Their compactness could enable integration into industrial facilities, and the heat they generate could be used to drive chemical production.
Enjoying our latest content?
Log in or create an account to continue
- Access the most recent journalism from Nature's award-winning team
- Explore the latest features & opinion covering groundbreaking research
Access through your institution
or
Sign in or create an account
Continue with Google
Continue with ORCiD
Nature 656, S12-S13 (2026)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-02510-8
This article is part of Nature Outlook: Nuclear power, a supplement produced with financial support from Oklo Inc.. Nature maintains full independence in all editorial decisions related to the content. About this content.
Related Articles
-
Harnessing nuclear power for a clean-energy future
-
Smaller reactors bring nuclear power closer to fulfilling its promise
-
The push to clear nuclear power’s waste-disposal hurdle
-
The best-managed industrial waste in history
-
Are pro-nuclear politics a threat to public safety?
-
A raft of start-up firms is betting on nuclear fusion
-
Five highlights from nuclear-power research
-
The 46 companies scrambling to commercialize fusion for energy
-
Using nuclear waste to power space missions
-
Partner content: Addressing global energy demands using advanced nuclear solutions
Subjects
- Energy
- Nuclear physics
- Environmental sciences
- Engineering
- Policy
Latest on:
- Energy
- Nuclear physics
- Environmental sciences
-
Using nuclear waste to power space missions
Outlook
-
Smaller reactors bring nuclear power closer to fulfilling its promise
Outlook
-
The 46 companies scrambling to commercialize fusion for energy
Outlook
-
Using nuclear waste to power space missions
Outlook
-
Smaller reactors bring nuclear power closer to fulfilling its promise
Outlook
-
The 46 companies scrambling to commercialize fusion for energy
Outlook
-
Smaller reactors bring nuclear power closer to fulfilling its promise
Outlook
-
Are pro-nuclear politics a threat to public safety?
Outlook
-
The push to clear nuclear power’s waste-disposal hurdle
Outlook
Jobs
-
Faculty Positions in Immune Engineering and Cellular Therapies
Dallas, Texas (US)
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern Medical Center)
-
Postdoctoral Position in Autoimmune Disease & Epigenetics
Dallas, Texas (US)
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern Medical Center)
-
Assistant Professor, Research
Dallas, Texas (US)
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern Medical Center)
-
Postdoctoral Research Position in Cancer Immunology and Immune Engineering
Dallas, Texas (US)
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern Medical Center)
-
2027 Overseas Outstanding Young Scholars: NKU Invites Talents From Around the World
Nankai University sincerely invite outstanding talents at home and abroad to apply for the 2027 Overseas Outstanding Young Scholars Fund.
Tianjin, CN
Nankai University