The Big Idea: “Recycle” Nuclear Waste Into Fuel

BY Rose Cahalan in The Big Idea on October 31, 2012

By 2055, the U.S. will have more than 153,000 tons of radioactive waste on its hands. Nuclear energy is powerful, but how to safely store its waste?

Three UT scientists may have the answer. Their Super X Divertor (patented by Mike Kotschenreuther, Prashant Valanju, and Swadesh Mahajan) harnesses nuclear waste to produce more power—destroying waste in the process. While it won’t hit the market for several years, the discovery could reshape the future of U.S. energy.