Mar 12, 2025
Tom Zoellner, award-winning writer and Chapman University
professor, joins AMSEcast to discuss his book Uranium: War, Energy
and the Rock that Shaped the World. He and Alan discuss the
discovery of uranium, its radioactive nature, and its historical
impact. Once dismissed as worthless by miners, uranium became vital
to energy and warfare. The U.S. uranium rush peaked in the 1950s
but has since declined. Today, uranium enrichment is expanding in
the U.S., with major players like Orano investing in Oak
Ridge.
Guest Bio
Tom Zoellner is an award-winning writer and the author of nine
books, including Uranium: War, Energy and the Rock that Shaped the
World. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, Time, and Scientific
American, among other publications. A former staff writer for The
Arizona Republic and The San Francisco Chronicle, Tom brings deep
expertise in history, science, and investigative journalism. He
currently teaches at Chapman University and serves as editor at
large for the Los Angeles Review of Books.
Show Highlights
- (1:28) Why is uranium radioactive and what does that mean?
- (3:09) How uranium was discovered
- (5:51) The American uranium rush
- (9:13) Where the uranium used in the Manhattan Project came from
- (11:17) How uranium supplies and facilities that use them around the world are controlled
- (13:35) How the nation of Georgia became the crossroads for uranium smuggling
- (15:29) Where uranium is currently being enriched and how it affects national security
- (18:02) What’s next for Tom Zoellner
Links Referenced
- Uranium: War, Energy and the Rock that Shaped the World: https://www.amazon.com/Uranium-Energy-Rock-Shaped-World/dp/0670020648