Emmet Penney talks to experts, workers, journalists, and scholars from all over the world about nuclear energy, energy issues, culture, and society. Subscribe to the Substack to get the newsletter and the podcast sent directly to your inbox: www.nuclearbarbarians.com.
This podcast is supported by the Foundation for American Innovation.
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John returns for the first installment of another reading series. This time we’re tackling Michael Gillespie’s The Theological Origins of Modernity , a book that aims at getting to the root of some of the major questions we face today as products of both the Industrial Revolution and the Enlightenment. This is also the first in what John and I hope will be a longer project of delving into the history of the philosophy of science. After Gillespie we hope to explore works by Francis Bacon, Descart...
Rachael Zisk just launched a nuclear energy newsletter — Ignition — which is great. I brought her on to talk about her new venture, the challenges of covering highly technical topics, how the media landscape is changing, and more! Subscribe to Ignition. Subscribe to Payload. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
John and I finish up our discussion of the Machine in the Garden. We reflect on Leo Marx’s contribution—both its successes and failures. And we consider what opportunities there are to think about the American relationship with the Machine. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe
Director Tyson Culver discusses his new docu-series with Robert Bryce, "Juice: Power, Politics, and the Grid." The conversation covers the catalyst for the film, Winter Storm Uri, and key stories like the Osage Nation's legal battle over wind energy and the Enron scandal. They also explore the challenges of managing the grid, the evolving perception of nuclear energy at COP events, and the crucial role of public understanding in complex energy decisions.
John and I continue our series on Leo Marx’s The Machine in the Garden. In this episode, we talk about Emerson, Thoreau, Melville, and Hawthorne. We recorded this one a bit before Christmas last year. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe
A reading of a piece I wrote for the American Mind. You can read the text here . Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe
Author and mechanic Matthew B. Crawford of Archedelia joined me to talk about the nature of progress, our over designed world, the limits of laissez faire, safetyism, the current golden age of hotrodding, and so much more. Here are the pieces we discussed: Misanthropic Use of the Nudge by Matthew B. Crawford A $5,600 Taillight Repair? by Matthew B. Crawford For a way more thorough look into Chernobyl, which comes up towards the end, check out this thread from my friend Madi Hilly which has tons ...
I got to sit down with Doug Sandridge , an oil and gas guy with decades of experience, to talk about his shocking new project: OIL AND GAS EXECS FOR NUCLEAR. This is the story of someone called to action to stand up for energy abundance for all—Doug’s a great guy and I loved chatting with him. Check out the declaration of Oil and Gas Execs for Nuclear. Read Doug’s op-ed for Grid Brief. Check out Doug’s Substack: ENERGY RUMINATIONS Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.co...
Isaiah Taylor , the founder of Valar Atomics, joined me to talk about his new venture, how he wants to turn the nuclear energy over on its head, how his Christian faith and Midwestern roots inform his work, and much more. Reach more about Valar here . Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
John and I are back with our third installment of our reading series on The Machine in the Garden by Leo Marx. This chapter is all about “the machine” as a symbol in American life and letters. We talk about obscure figures like the Pennsylvanian manufacturer Tench Coxe, Thomas Carlyle’s “Signs of the Times,” the Newtonian reconciliation of art and nature, 19th century machine boosterism, and more! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
Writer and film critic Andrew Plimpton returns to the pod to speak with me about Scorsese’s latest film, which centers around oil rights and a covert assault on the Osage tribe. We discuss the merits and demerits of this epically long film, Scorsese’s legacy, the American project, and more. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
John and I continue our series on Leo Marx’s The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Ideal in America. This chapter delves deep into the symbol of the garden—we dive into Marx’s reading of Jefferson, the nature of the pastoral ideal and how it evolved, the vision of Virginia, and more. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
This episode delves into the collapse of South Africa's national grid, Eskom, tracing its roots from the post-apartheid mass electrification promise to disastrous policies like artificial tariffs and municipal revenue theft that crippled its coal fleet. Hugo Kruger explains how systemic sabotage, influenced by political ideology and distorted green market incentives, led to widespread blackouts and financial woes. The discussion also covers the country's difficult path to recovery, including potential natural gas exploitation, decentralized generation, and a re-evaluation of nuclear power, while drawing parallels with energy policy challenges in the US and Europe.
John Goodson, my old co-host from the ex.haust podcast, joined me in the first of our series on Leo Marx’s The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Ideal in America . There are a few audio problems in this episode, for which we apologize. Thankfully, they’re brief. “ Believing in America ,” Leo Marx, Boston Review. The Elizabethan World Picture: A Study of the Idea of Order in the Age of Shakespeare , Donne and Milton by Eustace Tilyard Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www....
Spencer Klavan (author, podcaster, and editor) joined me to talk about that horrible Apple clean energy/Mother Nature video, neo-paganism as social and ideological force, quantum physics, epistemology, THE LORD, and more. Watch the Apple video here . “Mother Nature Returns,” Spencer Klavan, Rejoice Evermore “Where Wind Meets Matter,” Spencer Klavan, Claremont Review of Books Listen to Young Heretics , The Round Table , and The Close Read Buy Spencer’s book: How to Save the West: Ancient Wisdom f...
Nick O’Hara—writer, host of the Gridlocked podcast, and owner of an enviable speaking voice—joined me to talk about climate, energy, how to have a sane conversation in insane times, and much more. Listen to Gridlocked: Why the 21st Century is Broken and How to Fix It. Why Big Oil Loves the Renewable Energy Industry by Nick O’Hara, Salon. We abandoned nuclear power. Now the earth is paying the price. by Nick O’Hara, Salon. Abandoning nuclear power was a mistake. Germany must return to the future ...
Wireline worker Andrew De La Rosa came on to talk to me about the fracking process and how wireline works. I learned a ton from this conversation and had a great time. I hope you guys enjoy it! Follow Andrew on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tejanobrown Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe
Writer and film critic Andrew Plimpton joined me for a new running series we’re doing: Energy Cinema. For our inaugural episode, we decided to talk about the new Oppenheimer movie. Hope you enjoy it! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe
Entergy’s Chief Nuclear Officer Kimberly Cook-Nelson stopped by the pod to talk to me about Entergy’s nuclear fleet, her experience working in the nuclear industry, how utilities plan on changing nuclear comms, and more. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe
Juan David Rojas returns to Nuclear Barbarians to talk to me about Brazilian industrial history. We touch on Eletrobas, Petrobras, Brazil’s nuclear energy missteps, and a whole lot more. “ The Center That Will Always Hold: Brazil’s Lost Decades ,” by Juan David Rojas, American Affairs Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
Pat O’Brien, Holtec’s Director of Government Affairs and Communications, sat down with me to talk about his background in nuclear energy, Holtec’s attempts to save the Palisades plant in Michigan, its new SMR design, and more! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe
Jonah Messinger wrote a thoughtful piece on cold fusion for the Breakthrough Institute. I brought him on to talk about cold fusion, science as a process vs. science as an institution, and more! Fusion Runs Hot And Cold by Jonah Messinger Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
Dr. Chris Keefer of Decouple came on the pod to talk about Canadians for Nuclear Energy’s new report, The Case for CANDU: Why Ontario's Homegrown Nuclear Technology Is Its Best Option In A Time Of Rising Electricity Demand. The Report: https://www.canfornuclearenergy.org/ Follow Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dr_Keefer Check Out Decouple: https://www.decouplemedia.org/ Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
Collin McClelland of Digital Wildcatters joined me to talk about oil and gas, telling better energy stories, and tons more. This is some of the most fun I’ve had hosting the show—hope you guys like it! DW Website: https://digitalwildcatters.com/ EQT Documentary: Collin's Twitter: https://twitter.com/fracslap Collin's Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fracslap Collin's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-mclelland/ Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscrib...
Cinematographer and documentarian Jesse Freeston joined me to talk about how he got nukepilled, his wonderful videos for Decouple Studios, the rat park, and how nuclear fits into his view of global flourishing. Check out Jesse’s videos: Inside the World’s BIGGEST Nuclear Plant (the one that got Ontario off coal) How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Nuclear Waste Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
Alex Trembath , the Deputy Director of the Breakthrough Institute, joined me to talk about the deep contradictions in environmentalism, climate anxiety, the Jefferson/Hamilton divide, and much more! Some of Alex’s work. Support Breakthrough . Subscribe to my energy newsletter, Grid Brief . Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
Earlier this year (February), Paul Diduch invited me to speak at the Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization at CU Boulder. It was my first time ever giving such a lecture and I’m grateful to both him and the Benson Center for the opportunity. This is strictly the audio and the Q&A portion has been edited out as the questions are really difficult to hear. If you’d like to watch it and hear the Q&A, where I whiff on a couple technical questions and Alex Priou of the New Thinke...
Noah Rettberg returns to the pod to talk to me about synthfuels derived from carbon. We also want Monster Energy to sponsor us. CALL ME MONSTER. Anyone else interested in advertising on the podcast can reach me here: emmet@nuclearbarbarians.com. Nuclear Now . Chicagoans! Get your ticket to see Nuclear Now at the Alamo Drafthouse in Wrigleyville on May 1. Say hey if you see me! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
Juan David Rojas joined me to talk about AMLO, Pemex, and Mexican energy. AMLO and Mexico’s Fourth Transformation by Juan David Rojas Follow Juan. Subscribe to my energy newsletter. Go see Nuclear Now! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
Grant Dever , one of the brightest whippersnappers in the whole Lone Star state, joined me to talk about nuclear in Texas, but then the conversation ranged all over the place with a long meditation on hope. Texas Should Continue to Lead in Nuclear Power by Grant Dever Subscribe to Grid Brief . Check out Nuclear Now ! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at www.nuclearbarbarians.com/subscribe...
