This nuclear reactor is run by students

At Reed College in Portland, Oregon, there's a TRIGA nuclear reactor, used for research. You can stand next to it and watch the blue glow from the bottom of a deep swimming pool. I had to visit.

(you can find contact details and social links there too)

[lucystarlight]

Operating a nuclear reactor with a fishing rod and a bucket on a string is kind of a perfect metaphor for college

[NateandNoahTryLife]

I’m an undergrad currently, and at my university we have a microwave in our common room we’re allowed to operate. Basically the same thing.

[kumaclimber]

I'm from Portland and this is my favorite way to freak out people who are afraid of nuclear power. "yeah there's a reactor like 3 miles away ran by students at Reed."

[joshuagreen]

Haha... from the Wiki article on TRIGA reactors: "The TRIGA was developed to be a reactor that, in the words of Edward Teller, 'could be given to a bunch of high school children to play with without any fear that they would get hurt.'"

[elespectador]

Tom: A nuclear reactor run by undergrads at a liberal arts college sounds like a...
Me: The beggining of a great joke.

[TomScottGo]

I had a couple of technical problems with the audio and video on this, but this was such a spectacular thing to see that I didn't want that to stop you from seeing the video. There are, as always, subtitles available!

[TheMan]

"And then we get it out with a (slightest pause) fishing rod" If it's stupid but it works!

[MagellanLife]

"A nuclear reactor run by undergrads"
"when someone drops their phone in there"

[wookidoo]

I think it makes perfect sense to have students operate nuclear reactors. They're not very expensive, and they're sort of disposable.

[Kabitu]

She's talking like someone's definitely dropped their phone in there and it had to be fished out.. I wonder if it was still working when it came out. That would be one hell of an advertisement statement by the manufacturer if it did.

[artstsym]

Me: Google, show me the pinnacle of misplaced optimism.
Google: Here's a light switch labeled "Fission/Fusion."
Me: Perfection.

[mybigbeak]

"If someone drops their phone in, we how often does it need to happen befpre someone says. " guys seriously, either keep hold of your phone or don't take it in there."

[cringenuclearfan]

The stupid thing is that Reed doesn't have a nuclear engineering program. Some say that the only reason they have the reactor still is because it's too expensive to dispose of.

[wildly]

Vavilov-Cherenkov radiation is one of the coolest things you can observe, and I had only ever seen pictures of it. I clicked on the video hoping to see some, and you delivered. Long Live Tom Scott ! :D

[beanhead]

"cutting edge technology" "been here for 50 years"

[PedanticAntics]

Our teacher took us there on a field trip in 9th grade. The "blue" light it makes can't be shown accurately on screens or paper; it's so unlike any light you've seen elsewhere, almost it's own color.

[Ratlee]

When I was at Uni, we couldn't even run a projector without supervision... Not fair, life! not.fair.

[claye_l]

Tom scott is a good contender on the "best at being interested in things" contest.

[automotivetales]

The ‘Fusion’ / ‘Fission’ switch.... 🤣🤣🤣 it’s fun to see a little bit of student humour in a reactor hall! You should do a video about ‘the blue glow’ - it’s fascinating!

[iissacc]

So radiation is watchmen blue instead of simpsons green?