Skip to main content
Back to Show
Reactions

Why is the US buying Canada's trash for $30,000 per gram?

Season 10 Episode 12

Companies around the world are fighting to buy a rare radioactive substance, despite its $30,000-per-gram price tag. This substance powers emergency exit signs that can stay bright for two decades without power, glow-in-the-dark keychains, and might one day unlock the holy grail of clean energy. What is this mystery substance?

Only Available with Passport Starting
Support Provided By
Season
Are Vanadium Flow Batteries Worth the Hype?
9:01
Are liquid, virtually fireproof, recyclable batteries the future of grid-scale storage?
An Antidote for Deadly Mushrooms?
11:39
Join George as he hunts for an antidote to deadly mushrooms.
Why You Can't Recycle Your Pants (Until Now)
12:15
George tests a newly discovered technique that could solve a recycling problem.
How is Ceviche "Cooked?"
11:46
How does lime juice turn raw fish into delicious ceviche? We explain with biochemistry!
Burning Forever Chemicals With Water
10:31
Forever Chemicals last… forever. Can a new technology finally send them to their doom?
The Bioconcrete Revolution (maybe)
8:21
Reducing the carbon footprint of concrete and cement by relying on biology.
Why are Mosquitos So Obsessed with Me?
9:13
Mosquitos really do prefer some people over others, and this Reactions ep explains why!
The End of Haber Bosch
13:50
Discover the single most important chemical reaction on Earth, and why we need to kill it.
What is Amorphous Ice?
9:38
This week Reactions dives into something truly out-of-this-world: amorphous ice.
Lab-grown, Plant-based, Real – What Is The Chemistry Of Meat
15:51
Are we about to re-define meat? If so, what is meat?!
But HOW Does Carbon Dioxide Trap Heat?
11:48
How do carbon dioxide molecules trap heat in our atmosphere?
EU’s Ban On Tattoo Ink: Breaking Down the Chemistry
10:37
Why has the European Union banned certain colors for tattoos?
Active loading indicator