Best Dr Chris Keefer Podcasts (2025)

1
Episode 91: Seafloor, Icecap, Moon ft. Tyler Bernstein of Zeno Power 41:58

Play Pause

3h ago41:58

41:58

Zeno Power, a cutting edge nuclear company, is making batteries powered with Strontium 90 for niche deployment cases: the moon, the arctic, and the seafloor. I got to pick Zeno cofounder and CEO Tyler Bernstein’s brain about their exciting new technology, why Zeno’s work is critical in our increasingly multipolar world, and the upsides of competing…

1
Battery Power 1:07:14

4d ago1:07:14

1:07:14

This week, we talk about the rise of the global battery industry: its history, key players, raw material struggles, and how China came to dominate it. To do so, I’m joined by Henry Sanderson, author of "Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green." We trace the story of electrification from Volta’s early experiments to the supply chai…

1
Episode 90: Tickling the Dragon ft. Matt Loszak of Aalo Atomics 44:34

6d ago44:34

44:34

Matt Loszak, the cofounder and CEO of Aalo Atomics, joined me to talk about Aalo’s progress rolling SMRs off the factory line. We get into Aalo’s test reactors at Idaho National Labs, a DOE path toward approving nuclear designs, how Trump’s nuclear executive orders have helped the industry, “zero power criticality,” and more. Since we recorded this…

1
The Export Expert 1:21:57

18d ago1:21:57

1:21:57

This week, we talk about Russian nuclear exports. Michael Seely, host of AtomicBlender, joins me to discuss the rise of Rosatom: Russia’s nuclear energy behemoth that now builds nearly half of the world’s new reactors. We trace its formation after the Soviet collapse, its grip on the nuclear fuel market, and its unmatched “turnkey” model for newcom…

1
Episode 89: TRISO Serious ft. Kurt Terrani of Standard Nuclear 45:17

23d ago45:17

45:17

There are so many exciting developments in the nuclear space, I can hardly keep up. And not just in the realm of reactors. Kurt Terrani, the CEO of Standard Nuclear, joined me to talk about his new company and its ambitions for TRISO fuel. For me, this was a major download on nuclear fuel types. Kurt’s a very knowledgable dude working with a highly…

1
#289 - Breaking the Ice 53:37

26d ago53:37

53:37

This week, we travel to the edge of the map with Aleksandr Surtcev, an engineer who has crewed Russian nuclear icebreakers along the Northern Sea Route. We explore how Russia’s Arctic fleet keeps this strategic corridor open, why floating nuclear plants are powering remote communities and mines, and what life looks like in a place where polar bears…

1
Episode 88: Nuclear for Seven Generations ft. Scott Lathrop of Native Nuclear 44:19

1M ago44:19

44:19

On today’s episode, I spoke with Scott Lathrop, the Founder and Chief Executive Director of Native Nuclear. Like me, Scott sees nuclear power as a multi-generational infrastructure investment that serves as a sheet anchor for healthy communities and healthy economies. But he brings a distinctly native perspective to nuclear that subverts stereotype…

1
The State of the Atom (2025) 1:16:30

1M ago1:16:30

1:16:30

This week, Mark Nelson joins us to deliver his second annual “State of the Atom” address. The nuclear power landscape has transformed in the last two years. Russia continues its nuclear export dominance while the West at last awakens from its stupor, driven by an unexpected force: artificial intelligence's insatiable appetite for baseload power. Fr…

1
Episode 87: Sounding the Depths ft. Ari Brown of Bellwether LLC 46:26

2M ago46:26

46:26

Former navy nuke Ari Brown joined me to talk about his experience in the service. For me, his story offers profound insight into what it takes to institutionalize excellence. Then we talk about his new company, Bellwether LLC, and how Ari is using his programming background and acoustic analysis skills to figure out how to fix machines in an innova…

1
Sun, Silicon, and Xinjiang 1:11:41

2M ago1:11:41

1:11:41

This week, we talk solar power—a long overdue topic on Decouple. In the past, guests have often been critical of the value of renewables on grids without extensive storage, and of the quality of jobs that politicians often claim when justifying renewables programs. Today, however, we drop preconceptions and get to the nuts and bolts. My guest is Se…

1
Small Reactor, Big Price 1:40:15

2M ago1:40:15

1:40:15

We have an unusual episode today. One, because of its length (1 hour 40 minutes), and two, because I’m the guest. Joined by Aidan Morrison as acting host, I talk about a topic of intense interest to me: the Darlington SMR project in Ontario, Canada. I’ve been critical of this SMR project, which recently received its final investment decision, by ca…

1
Episode 86: No Sleep Til Fleetscale ft. Joe Klecha of The Nuclear Company 47:15

2M ago47:15

47:15

For this episode, Joe Klecha, the Chief Nuclear Officer at The Nuclear Company, joined me to talk about his background as a navy nuke, his time working on the Vogtle build, and what it takes to pull off megaprojects. Then we discuss how TNC’s recent deal with Palantir is going to unleash fleets of new nuclear power plants. I learned so much from th…

1
Is Wright's Law Wrong? 1:04:24

2M ago1:04:24

1:04:24

This week, we return to nuclear power. Specifically, nuclear construction and “learning curves.” It is intuitive that doing something over and over makes you better at it. In industry, this means driving down costs and timelines and boosting efficiencies. In many industries, the truth of learning curves is readily apparent. However, in Western nucl…

1
Is America Making Itself Irrelevant? 1:06:39

3M ago1:06:39

1:06:39

This week, I’m joined by Kyle Chan, author of the recent NYTimes Op-Ed titled "In the Future, China Will Be Dominant. The U.S. Will Be Irrelevant." Exploring the intense competitive pressures of Chinese “involution capitalism” and America’s fixation on shareholder returns, we discuss America’s waning relevance in global technology and manufacturing…

1
Episode 85: Lone Star Nuclear ft. Andrew Kirima 48:17

3M ago48:17

48:17

On this episode, Andrew Kirima of the Texas Nuclear Alliance stops by to talk about his origins as a nuclear advocate, what’s been going on with nuclear in Texas, and how the TNA fits into the American nuclear scene. Register for the TNA Summit this October! Check out Andrew on X and LinkedIn. And also check out the other nuclear project Andrew is …

1
Tim Cook, Nation-Builder 1:01:02

3M ago1:01:02

1:01:02

This week, I’m joined by Patrick McGee, a journalist and author of Apple in China: The Capture of the World’s Greatest Company. I recommended this book on LinkedIn as a MUST READ, and stand by it. Apple in China is an in-depth corporate history which examines one of the most important symbioses in economic history. It explains Apple's meteoric rise…

1
Trump's Nuclear Executive Orders 57:11

3M ago57:11

57:11

Last week, U.S. President Trump signed four executive orders to accelerate nuclear power deployment: Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy To help us unders…

1
No Risk, All Reward 1:09:38

4M ago1:09:38

1:09:38

This week, we look beyond the physical infrastructure supporting our lives to the owners taking over that infrastructure: asset managers. Brett Christophers, an author, professor, and economic geographer at Uppsala University in Sweden, joins me to explore the troubling transformation of infrastructure ownership in today's economy. From housing to …

1
Hellbrise 1:05:37

4M ago1:05:37

1:05:37

In the wake of Europe's largest blackout in decades, commodities investor Alexander Stahel helps us to understand the physics of power grids, and how Spain's celebrated renewable transition became its Achilles' heel. He introduces the “hellbrise” phenomenon—excessive, rather than too little, renewable generation—as he considers the role of grid ine…

1
Episode 84: (bonus episode) FREE PLANET ft. Aubrey Sitterson 58:30

4M ago58:30

58:30

In a special bonus episode, I speak with comic book writer Aubrey Sitterson about his new hard scifi geopolitical space opera, Free Planet. This comic has it all: energy literacy, questions of science and technology, the trials and tribulations of democracy, and some incredible layouts. I hope you guys enjoy this break from our usual programming. I…

1
Episode 83: Nuclear = Energy Security ft. Benton Arnett of NEI 43:09

4M ago43:09

43:09

Benton Arnett, Director of Markets and Policy at the Nuclear Energy Institute, joined me to talk about nuclear’s prospects today and what makes it such a boon for energy security. Benton’s a great guy with a deep knowledge base. I had a lot of fun chatting with him and learned things about the nuclear supply chain construction that surprised me!…

1
The Iberian Blackout 51:27

4M ago51:27

51:27

This week, we cover the recent blackout on the Iberian peninsula. Guillem Sanchis Ramirez, a Spanish nuclear engineer and advocate, walks us through the event that plunged over 50 million people into powerlessness and the power grid on which it happened. We cover Spain’s precarious dance with renewable energy, its political resistance to nuclear po…

1
Cycles of Life 56:54

4M ago56:54

56:54

This week, we take a break from nuclear power to talk about larger systems: those of Planet Earth. Professor Andy Knoll, renowned Harvard geologist and author of A Brief History of Earth, reveals how life itself has shaped Earth's chemistry, climate, and geology. From the oxygenation of Earth's atmosphere to the potential colonization of Mars, we e…

1
Hard Lessons with Hot Helium 1:16:09

5M ago1:16:09

1:16:09

This week, we talk High Temperature Gas Reactors, or HTGRs, with a Decouple favorite: reactor designer and nuclear historian Nick Touran (What Is Nuclear | X). From the first conceptual sketch of an HTGR in wartime labs to today’s revival by players like X-energy and China’s fast-moving reactor fleet, we dissect what makes HTGRs unique—both in engi…

1
The Machines Behind The Machines 1:15:07

5M ago1:15:07

1:15:07

This week, we talk tools. With precision machinist Noah Rettberg, we explore a facet of modernity as important as energy, for it is the technology that energy powers and the technology that makes that technology: machine tools. Noah draws from his professional knowledge and passion for history to takes from Roman metallurgy through the guild-protec…

1
Respect the Rads 1:21:24

5M ago1:21:24

1:21:24

This week, we talk radiation—the elephant in the room during many conversations about nuclear power. Nick Touran, a reactor designer and nuclear historian, helps us along. While nuclear advocates have made remarkable strides in dispelling public fears about radiation, Touran warns against the pendulum swinging too far toward complacency. We explore…

1
Pass the Salt 1:08:50

6M ago1:08:50

1:08:50

Molten Salt Reactors are often portrayed as nuclear’s great missed opportunity, promising unparalleled safety, efficiency, and fuel sustainability. But are these promises reality or hype? Nick Touran, reactor designer and nuclear historian, joins me to tell the complex story behind molten salt reactors—from their ambitious beginnings during Cold Wa…

1
"Better Water Reactors" 1:14:57

6M ago1:14:57

1:14:57

This week, we talk Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) with James Krellenstein, the CEO of Alva Energy. We dive into the engineering, history, and physics of these reactors, how they differ from other designs, and why the United States may have erred in not choosing the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) instead of the Westinghouse AP-1000 for the Vog…

1
The Industrialization Playbook 1:04:49

6M ago1:04:49

1:04:49

This week, we talk industrial policy. Economist and author Steve Keen joins me to shine light on the present moment by exploring the historical use of tariffs and industrial policy in the development of industrial powers from Britain to China. In his usual style, Keen aims to dismantle the myths of free-market economics, explaining how virtually ev…

1
Fuel for Thought 1:06:07

6M ago1:06:07

1:06:07

Today, we talk uranium nuclear fuel. MIT Professor Koroush Shirvan, joins me to dive into the hidden complexities of nuclear fuels. From early fuel experiments that saw uranium rods turn into spaghetti-like structures under neutron bombardment to the intricate economics shaping the future of fuels like TRISO, Shirvan offers insights into the realit…

1
China, the Electrostate 54:12

7M ago54:12

54:12

This week, we return to China. David Fishman, senior manager at The Lantau Group, joins me again to dissect the unprecedented scale of China’s electrification, which Fishman says is driven by a mix of state planning, brutal market competition, and strategic energy security concerns. Our discussion ranges from the world's largest hydro projects to a…

1
Episode 82: Galileo's Dialogue Concerning Two Chief World Systems Pt. I 1:42:18

7M ago1:42:18

1:42:18

John and I are back with the first installment of our series on one of Galileo’s masterworks in the history of philosophy and science: Dialogue Concerning Two Chief World Systems. We dive into the historical context in which the work was published and then discuss the book’s dedication to the Grand Duke of Tuscany.…

1
Mission: Recommission 1:14:23

7M ago1:14:23

1:14:23

This week,Decouple Germany correspondent Noah Rettberg, a physics laboratory technician and precision machinist, talks about the potential to restart German nuclear reactors. Anew analysis from Radiant Energy Group examines Germany's potential to redeploy nuclear power using its existing reactor fleet. Through assessment of recently shuttered react…

1
Carbon Capture for Dummies 54:32

7M ago54:32

54:32

This week, we talk carbon capture. Canadian engineer and entrepreneur Ian MacGregor joins me to explore this misunderstood technology through the lens of someone who's actually built it. MacGregor, the architect behind the Alberta Carbon Trunk Line—the largest carbon capture and storage project in the world—cuts through the hype to discuss the ther…

1
Electric Dreams 1:11:28

7M ago1:11:28

1:11:28

This week, we go to China. I spoke with David Fishman, senior manager at The Lantau Group, on the motivations and strategy behind China’s world-leading electrification efforts. What seems like a climate-action utopia to Western analysts appears to be a pragmatic response to pollution and energy security concerns. China's vulnerability to maritime o…

1
Episode 81: Energy Cinema: Chinatown ft. Andrew Plimpton 1:04:36

8M ago1:04:36

1:04:36

Film critic and writer Andrew Plimpton returns to the pod to talk about one of the greatest American films of all time—Chinatown—which also happens to be a canonical film about the politics of energy. We dive into the film’s themes, noir as a genre, Jack Nicholson as a writer, and much more.By Emmet Penney

1
Oil: A Masterclass 1:35:08

8M ago1:35:08

1:35:08

Mark Nelson, managing director of Radiant Energy Group, joins us for a Masterclass on the slippery subject of oil. We zoom from ancient plankton to modern empires to see how a mysterious black liquid birthed from prehistoric seas now powers our civilization, touching on the complex chemistry, geology and history of oil.…

1
A Civil Nuclear Debate 1:19:35

9M ago1:19:35

1:19:35

Two thought leaders in the nuclear energy conversation, James Krellenstein and Ted Nordhaus, join Decouple for a “debate” over the question of reactor size: should advanced, small nuclear technologies lead the way for nuclear energy, or should conventional large reactors? What could have been a heated debate over nuclear energy's future ended up a …

1
Reactors on Wheels 1:11:14

9M ago1:11:14

1:11:14

Jeff Waksman, program manager for Project Pele, joins Dr. Chris Keefer to discuss the impetus for the military microreactor project, the logistics and energy challenges at the heart of modern warfare, and the technical considerations of microreactor development. Few voices are more qualified to speak on the state-of-the-art in tiny nuclear reactors…

1
A Heterodox Economics Lesson 1:43:45

9M ago1:43:45

1:43:45

Steve Keen, economist and author, joins me to explain how modern economics has catastrophically misunderstood the role of energy in our world and underestimated the risks of climate change through oversimple models. In this in-person conversation, we discuss the evolution of economic thinking since feudalism, the shortcomings of prevailing economic…

1
Episode 80: Light of the Mind, Light of the World Ft. Spencer Klavan 47:40

9M ago47:40

47:40

Spencer Klavan joined me to talk about his new book, Light of the Mind, Light of the World: Illuminating Science Through Faith. We talk about "Newtonian" Default Mode, the history of science, what innovations in physics mean for the faithful and secular alike, and much more! Check out Spencer's Substack: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/ The Ro…

1
The End of an IRA? 50:31

9M ago50:31

50:31

Phil Chaffee, Editor of Nuclear Intelligence Weekly and Bureau Chief of Energy Intelligence’s New York offices, joins me to discuss the implications of a second Trump administration on U.S. nuclear energy. Will the tantalizing nuclear power purchase agreements signed by hyperscalers evaporate as carbon pricing becomes less likely? Will free-market …

1
The Forgotten Climate Debate 1:25:15

10M ago1:25:15

1:25:15

Jean-Baptiste Fressoz, a French historian of science & technology, shares how European societies grappled with climate change centuries before modern science proved the scale and breadth of its impact, revealing a forgotten saga where colonial ambitions and volcanic winters shaped our earliest understanding of Earth's shifting climate. Grounding ou…

1
Episode 79: An Education in Energy Realism ft. Dr. Scott Tinker 57:09

10M ago57:09

57:09

One of my favorite things about running this podcast is getting to talk to people with way more experience than me. Dr. Scott Tinker, a geologist and energy expert with decades of experience, joined me to talk about the breadth of his career, how our understanding of energy has changed over time, energy realism, teaching people the energy basics, a…

1
Defense in Depths 1:27:20

10M ago1:27:20

1:27:20

Aidan Morrison, director of energy research at Australia’s Centre for Independent Studies, takes us to the depths of Australia’s security predicament as a country near Maritime Southeast Asia dependent on liquid hydrocarbon imports. We discuss military strategy, the use of nuclear and diesel-electric submarines, and the continent’s precarious depen…

1
Microreactors, Macro Problems 1:22:37

10M ago1:22:37

1:22:37

Nick Touran, a nuclear engineer and manager at TerraPower, unearths the sobering realities of micro nuclear reactors. Through a detailed discussion of physics, engineering, economics, and history, Touran explains why microreactors face fundamental challenges that factory production alone cannot solve.…

1
Episode 78: Esoteric Origins of the Enlightenment Pt. IV 1:41:09

10M ago1:41:09

1:41:09

John and I finish up our series on the esoteric origins of the Enlightenment by diving into romanticism, mesmerism, the forgotten aspects of Jung, American New Age stuff, and way more! Next up: Galileo’s Dialogue Concerning Two Chief World Systems. http://nuclearbarbarians.substack.comBy Emmet Penney

1
Paper Reactors to Power Reactors 1:15:43

10M ago1:15:43

1:15:43

Nick Touran tells the story of Admiral Hyman Rickover, the “Father of the Nuclear Navy” and author of the legendary "Paper Reactor" memo. We discover how Rickover’s hard-driving management and obsession with practical engineering shaped not just the US nuclear navy, but the entire landscape of modern nuclear power. Touran is manager of digital engi…

1
TMI: Too Much Intervention? 1:06:30

10M ago1:06:30

1:06:30

James Krellenstein, co-founder of Alva Energy, explains precisely what happened at the Three Mile Island accident, in which an ordinary reactor trip cascaded into a partial meltdown due primarily to errors in the human-machine interface. Krellenstein discusses how the 1979 incident, despite its severity, actually showed the effectiveness of the “de…

1
Episode 77: Esoteric Origins of the Enlightenment Pt. III 1:23:27

11M ago1:23:27

1:23:27

In our penultimate Hanegraaff episode, John and I take a look at how “magic,” “superstition,” and the “occult” became epithets divorced from critical reasoning, the uncomfortable overlap between occult and scientific practices, and I deliver a brief monologue on how all of this shows up in the work of HP Lovecraft.…