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My Nuclear Life

Shelly Lesher

On July 16, 1945, in a New Mexico desert, the Trinity Test ushered in the Nuclear Age. No other piece of technology has penetrated the American consciousness like the nuclear bomb and found a place in everything from culture to medicine. This podcast explores how nuclear science has impacted and changed our world in both beneficial and destructive ways. We explore the intersection of nuclear science and society using interviews with historians, policymakers, experts in their fields, and first-hand accounts to weave a picture of your nuclear life.

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20 episodes
monthly
Avg 47 min
English

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#81
Tuesday · 54 min
1983 - The Year of Living Dangerously
It wasn't the mullets or shoulder pads but how close the world came to nuclear annihilation. Join Shelly and Nathan Radke as they discuss what happened in 1983 and why you should have been scared. Very, very scared.
#80
July 28 · 52 min
Project Paperclip | Brian Crim
Project Paperclip; or how the US gave citizenship to Nazi scientists so we could build rockets to get to the moon and defeat the Soviets. This episode will explore this project with Brian Crim, PhD, Professor for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Keene State College.
#79
June 9 · 59 min
The JASONS | Ann Finkbeiner
Who are the JASONS? What do they do and can Shelly ever fulfill her dream of becoming one? Find out on this episode with Ann Finkbeiner.
#78
May 14 · 49 min
Not Dead Yet | Conspiracy Theory with Uncover Up
What is going on with all the missing scientists? Should we be worried? Should Shelly be worried? Is there a Mayor McCheese secret plot? Join Nathan & Lee from the Uncover Up as they check in on Shelly to make sure she is ok.
#77
March 31 · 38 min
The "best" Doomsday Devices | The Uncover Up
In this joint episode with The Uncover Up Nathan Radke and Shelly Lesher try to shock each other with the different ways humans have tried or will try to destroy us all. Watch the episode on Youtube at YouTube
#76
March 3 · 50 min
The bomber will always get through | Nathan Radke
Nathan Radke (The Uncover Up) and Shelly Lesher discuss the B-36. You can email us or support us on Patreon Please leave a 5-star review on iTunes and subscribe to My Nuclear Life wherever you listen to podcasts.
#75
January 28 · 44 min
(New Intro) Challenger Explosion | Adam Higginbotham
On the 40th Anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, we rerelease this episode with a new introduction to include Ron McNair articles from his home, N.C. A&T Physics.
#74
Dec 30, 2025 · length unknown
Black holes, string theory, and public policy | Jim Gates (Sylvester James Gates)
See what happens when Shelly talks to smarty-pants Jim Gates, says she is not going to talk about String Theory and immediately asks questions about String Theory. Hear about String Theory’s Doppelganger, the history of black holes, fulfilling a dream of riding the Trans-Siberian Railroad, and how it all comes back to nuclear physics.
#73
Dec 2, 2025 · length unknown
How much time does the US need to restart nuclear testing? | Hans Kristensen
How likely is it that the US will restart nuclear testing? How much time would it take? You might be surprised by the answers. Join Shelly as she discusses this and other topics with Hans Kristensen, Director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists. And we find out - things can get much worse.
#72
Nov 18, 2025 · 56 min
House of Dynamite | Lee and Nathan
Lee Kuhln and Nathan Radke join Shelly to talk about the No. 1 Netflix movie - House of Dynamite and answer the question, "Is the movie Dyn-o-mite"?
#71
Oct 16, 2025 · length unknown
HItler and the Bomb | Mark Walker
How close were the Germans to building an atomic bomb? What went wrong? Listen to the conversation with historian Mark Walker to find out more.
#70
Sep 2, 2025 · length unknown
Hidden in plain sight. The Greenbrier Bunker | Deanna Hylton
Not actually a bunker but a fallout shelter under the Greenbrier Hotel in the hills of West Virginia. Shelly visits the bunker and then speaks with the manager of bunker tours and historian Deanna Hylton.
#69
Aug 5, 2025 · length unknown
The Atomic Pilgrim | James Patrick Thomas
James Patrick Thomas speaks to Shelly about his walk for nuclear disarmament in 1981 which lasted 20 months. Along with 18-19 other pilgrims, James left Washington and journeyed to Bethlehem, walking over 6,700 miles. We hear about his decision to undertake such a monumental task, how the group made a major decision, and if Shelly would do the same thing. >> The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the sponsoring agencies <<
#68
Jun 24, 2025 · length unknown
The ethics of human radiation experiments | The Uncover Up
Shelly meets up with Lee Kuhnle and Nathan Radke in Toronto to discuss the ethics behind human radiation experiments. We redefine what "fun" means, Nathan shows off his "ethics" knowledge, and Lee makes the Vatican proud.
#67
May 13, 2025 · 37 min
Day in the Life of a Nuclear Physicist | Kelly Chipps
What do you think a nuclear physicist does every day? Lone genius or social butterfly? Listen to find out how Dr Kelly Chipps of Oak Ridge National Laboratory fills her time.
#66
Apr 8, 2025 · 53 min
Cold War Human Radiation Experiments | Eileen Welsome
“As all these stories do, it started with a radioactive animal dump in Albuquerque,” is the best first line of a story I have ever heard. Listen as Eileen Welsome and Shelly Lesher discuss some of the medical experiments the US government funded on its own citizens involving radiation without their consent over the decades.
#65
Feb 25, 2025 · 48 min
Cold War Kids | Ann Kordas
Ann Kordas joins Shelly to discuss the gendered roles of boys and girls during the Cold War and how children were taught to protect themselves from nuclear annihilation through toys, sitcoms, and government messaging.
#64
Jan 7, 2025 · 48 min
Nuclear Christmas List with Kelly Chipps
Ever wonder what to buy with your Christmas money? Need a nuclear themed gift for that nerd in your family? Look no further, Shelly and her friend and fellow nuke, Kelly Chipps found lots of items for you to purchase from eBay to Amazon.
Jan 1, 2025 · 40 min
(rerelease) Jimmy Carter - with Jonathan Alter
On December 29, 2024 humanitarian, nuclear engineer, and the 39th president of the US passed away at 100 years old. Please enjoy this rerelease of Episode 35.
#63
Nov 26, 2024 · 30 min
Was the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion inevitable? with Adam Higginbotham
If you were alive at the time, you remember an o-ring caused the January 28, 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger explosion 73 seconds after take off. But was it that simple? Adam Higginbotham discusses his new book, Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space and see how much you really know about that day.

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