When students think of nuclear energy, their minds may go to accidents at Hiroshima, Chernobyl or Three Mile Island. Nuclear energy is a force so powerful that it poses an existential threat, but many people have a minimal understanding beyond headlines about accidents. From its complex role in the geopolitical tensions during the Cold War to the hope that nuclear energy may combat climate change, there is much to explore. Provide students with a well-rounded history of nuclear energy and its potential with these six Retro Report videos and related resources.
Nuclear Meltdowns Raised Fears, but Growing Energy Needs May Outweigh Them
Accidents at power plants around the world have heightened fears about the safety of nuclear energy. This hasn’t stopped scientists and activists from pursuing the technology as an alternative to fossil fuels, a major driver of climate change. Explore the reality of nuclear energy’s dangers and potential in this Retro Report short film and lesson plan.
Photo Essay: Lessons From the Nuclear Dream
Retro Report producer Sarah Weiser documents the impact of the accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant near Harrisburg, Pa on the small community nearby.
Putin’s Nuclear Threats Evoke Cold War Tensions of the Cuban Missile Crisis
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats of nuclear conflict evoked memories of a 13-day political and military standoff known as the Cuban missile crisis. In October 1962, Soviet and U.S. leaders engaged in a confrontation over the installation of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles in Cuba. The episode is a lesson in the power of de-escalation. It also represents a turning point in the Cold War, when Americans’ trust in their leaders began to falter. Use this Retro Report video and lesson plan to teach about the Cuban missile crisis and its impact on Americans’ feelings about the threat of nuclear war.
Why the Cold War Race for Nuclear Weapons Is Still a Threat
The relationship among Russia, China and the United States has been referred to as a cold war of its own. Explore how the current tensions connect to the geopolitical history of the latter half of the 20th century using this Report Report short film and accompanying lesson plan.
In this short documentary, Retro Report and PBS American Experience look back at the work of Freeman Dyson. In 1958, Dyson, a nuclear physicist, was asked to make interplanetary space travel a reality. The project, known as Orion, was an ambitious attempt to expand the potential of the nuclear bomb beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. Use this Retro Report video to show how Dyson’s research informed his view of the potential dangers of nuclear energy
Could We Geo-Engineer Ourselves Out of Climate Change?
Could geo-engineering the climate be a viable solution to climate change? In 1983, scientists warned about the impact that smoke from a nuclear blast could have on the atmosphere. The threat was referred to as nuclear winter, and questions persist about whether man can alter climate. Share this Retro Report documentary and lesson plan and ask students to assess the role of nuclear power.
Are you teaching AP Environmental Science? Find more resources in this collection.
DAGMAR ROTHSCHILD is an education intern at Retro Report. She is an undergraduate at Georgetown, studying International Relations.
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