Science & technology | Atomic energy

Nuclear power plants are coming to the battlefield

They could supply energy to far-flung bases, power laser weapons and charge electric vehicles

WAR ZONES are dangerous places. Where better, then, for a nuclear reactor? On March 9th America’s government awarded a trio of firms $39.7m to design “microreactors” that can supply a few megawatts of power to remote military bases, and be moved quickly by road, rail, sea and air.

This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Fun-sized fission”

The politics of pandemics

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