Why Nuclear Gets the Worst Press: The Psychology Behind Energy Coverage

In Episode 83 of The Atomic Exchange Podcast, Dr. Goran Calic and Jennifer Ward examine how media coverage of nuclear accidents compares to coal and hydroelectric disasters, from Fukushima's muted domestic reporting to the largely forgotten Banqiao Dam failure that killed hundreds of thousands. They dig into surprising material and safety statistics, including why solar requires more concrete than nuclear and how "dragon king" events skew our understanding of energy risk. Drawing on Paul Slovic's landmark research on risk perception, they explore why nuclear sits in the most feared category of any hazard, with public perception diverging from expert assessment by a factor of 10,000.