Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency –
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2025 Results: The Most Read Materials in the IAEA's Nuclear What's What Series
December 30, 2025
Emma Midgley, IAEA Office of Public Information and Communication
In 2025, many visitors to the IAEA website were attracted by our scientific and technical materials on the use of nuclear energy, as well as nuclear science and technology.
1. Deepening understanding of nuclear energy
In 2025, one of the most popular materials on the IAEA website was the article "What is nuclear energy?"From it, readers learned how, thanks to the splitting of atoms, it is possible to generate environmentally friendly energy without greenhouse gas emissions.
Most nuclear reactors currently in operation use uranium as fuel. Read the article "What is uranium?", which will help you learn how uranium is mined and processed and why an amount of uranium fuel the size of a chicken egg produces as much energy as 88 tons of coal.
2. Progress in nuclear technology
The use of small modular reactors (SMRs) as a means of powering data centers for artificial intelligence systems is a topic of much discussion, and an article exploring this and other types of advanced nuclear reactors has become one of the most read stories of 2025.
In the article "What are molten salt reactors?" It discusses how passive safety systems in these types of reactors can improve the safety of nuclear power plants and how such reactors are designed to accommodate new types of fuel, in particular thorium.
3. Thermonuclear fusion: one step closer?
Nuclear fusion continues to be seen as a key energy goal, offering a potentially inexhaustible source of clean, greenhouse-gas-free energy. In 2025, the article "What is nuclear fusion?" remained among the site's most-read materials. From this article, readers learned about the development of nuclear fusion worldwide, as well as its differences from the nuclear fission reaction used in traditional reactors.
4. Peaceful applications outside the energy sector
Beyond energy, the IAEA helps countries harness the benefits of nuclear science and technology in medicine, agriculture, and food. In our material about isotopes explains how scientists use isotopes to determine the age and quality of water resources around the world and track environmental pollution. material on radiopharmaceuticals The discussion focuses on how radioisotopes can be used to treat or diagnose cancer and cardiovascular diseases. material about cyclotrons Explains how these important radioisotopes are produced.
In the IAEA materials dedicated to food irradiation and the role of nuclear methods in the fight against soil erosion, explains how nuclear techniques can also help improve food security and agricultural sustainability.
5. Nuclear safety and security
Nuclear safety and security are among the IAEA's most important areas of work. They enable people to benefit from nuclear technology and protect themselves and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. In 2025, the material "What is radiation?" Readers learned about the different types of radiation and its uses in healthcare, energy, agriculture, and industry, as well as safety measures that can protect people from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.
Those who want to explore this issue in more depth will be interested in the material about universal symbol for ionizing radiation (in English). It explains how international standardization helps raise public awareness of the risks associated with ionizing radiation, thereby reducing the risk of accidental exposure.
6. A two-billion-year-old nuclear reactor
Finally, the story of Oklo, a natural nuclear reactor in Gabon, captured the imagination of many readers. The article describes how, long before the first dinosaurs appeared, natural nuclear reactions occurred in uranium deposits in western Equatorial Africa. Read more about this in the article. Oklo, the only known natural nuclear reactor on Earth, is two billion years old..
The demand for these materials demonstrates the world's commitment to exploring nuclear science and technology to reap its benefits in areas such as clean energy, improved human health, agricultural development, innovation, and many other fields.
Check out other content in the Nuclear What's What series, as well as videos and podcasts in this series. Here.
Specimens from Oklo, donated to the Natural History Museum of Vienna. Photo: Ludovic Ferrière/Natural History Museum
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Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.