A little-known element named after the Norse god Thor may offer a safer, cleaner route to long-term energy independence—and scientists say the world is overdue to pay attention. Thorium has been largely overshadowed for decades, even among nuclear professionals, despite its promising track...

Thorium reactors—based on molten-salt technology shelved during the Cold War—are attracting renewed interest as a safer, more efficient alternative to today’s large uranium-fuelled reactors. The idea is simple: dissolve nuclear fuel in a molten fluoride salt rather than locking it inside solid...

Scientists in Shanghai are working to revive a long-abandoned branch of nuclear technology: molten-salt reactors powered by thorium instead of uranium. Backed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the program has a $350 million budget, top-level political support and direct technical input from Oak...

Solvay and AREVA have signed a cooperation agreement to explore new uses for thorium—an abundant element often found alongside rare earths and uranium. The partnership focuses on responsible management of existing thorium stocks in France and launches a joint R&D program to study its potential as...

Two of the nation’s fastest supercomputers will support a major research effort led by University of Alabama chemist Dr. David Dixon (pictured above) to improve next-generation nuclear fuels—including thorium—and strengthen strategies for cleaning up legacy nuclear sites. The U.S. Department of...

Two state legislators are on board with an effort to convince federal officials that reactors using thorium as a fuel have the potential to provide ample supplies of low-cost energy without many of the challenges of traditional nuclear power. Reps. Terry Boose, R-Norwalk, and Andy Thompson,...

Thorium is increasingly touted as a possible lifeline for a struggling nuclear industry—and a major missed opportunity for the United States. Former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix recently told the BBC that thorium deserves serious attention, pointing to its safety advantages and the difficulty...

Engineering interest in thorium is rising as nations search for safer, cleaner alternatives to both fossil fuels and traditional nuclear power. Once a scientific curiosity discovered in Norway in 1828 and named after the Norse god of thunder, thorium is now gaining attention from researchers,...

Even before I ever attempted to raise funds via Kickstarter to help make a thorium documentary (optimistically called "Thorium Remix 2012") I was wondering how to crowdsource funding the reactor itself. A very expensive proposition. But I never considered the amount of money needed to be the...

India should allow private companies to mine monazite—the key source of thorium—and streamline regulations to boost production, according to the Mining Engineers’ Association of India (MEAI). Thorium plays a central role in India’s three-stage nuclear power strategy, yet monazite mining remains...