- OUTLOOK
Generating electricity using fission has a chequered past. New approaches such as smaller reactors could transform the technology into a more nimble source of always-on, carbon-free power.
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Few scientific phenomena have been associated with such an eerie blend of menace and promise as nuclear fission. Within seven years of the discovery of fission, in which a heavy atomic nucleus is split into smaller fragments to release energy, the world watched as the United States used it to destroy two Japanese cities. Less than ten years after those violent events, proponents of nuclear fission were instead touting it as a peaceful source of electricity that would be so plentiful and inexpensive to produce that people wouldn’t have to pay for what they use. But that has not been the case.
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Nature 656, S1 (2026)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-02505-5
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.
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