The following is excerpted from “Rad Future: The Untold Story of Nuclear Electricity and How It Will Save the World” by Isabelle Boemeke, in agreement with Thesis, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © Isabelle Boemeke, 2025.
You might have the impression that nuclear is dangerous. You’ve heard about Chernobyl. You’ve heard about radioactive waste that lasts forever. As someone who has advocated for nuclear electricity for over four years, I know a thing or two about these fears.
In 2019, at the peak of my climate anxiety, I decided to do a ten-day fast in a clinic in Spain. Better health was the main motivation; little did I know that fasting is a spiritual practice that’s been used historically for deep insights. After three days of pure misery, staring at my phone and saving the most decadent recipes for when I could finally eat, clarity set in. I felt more energized and in- spired than ever; my eyes were bright white and shimmering with excitement.
After the fast, I headed to a secluded cabin to do some more soul-searching and try to understand what role I could play in tackling climate change. One night, while brushing my teeth and staring at the mirror, a random thought popped in my head: What if I became a nuclear energy influencer? To be clear, I knew it was an insane idea. Nonetheless, I decided to run it by strangers next to me in lines or on airplanes, and their reac- tions showed me that this wild idea could have a big impact. They made me realize people didn’t know anything about the topic and the little they did know was based on misinformation.
After months of research, I finally felt confident enough to share my message with the world. I created an alter ego called ISODOPE, an alien-looking avatar inspired by a medley of my favorite artists. ISODOPE made her debut on social media in March of 2020 with a controversial post: a photo of herself holding a sign that read “Nuclear energy is clean energy!”
To say that my follow- ers, who were used to cute selfies and other model-type content, were shook would be an understatement. One of my modeling agents responded with “Nuclear energy isn’t clean energy!” She later called, saying in an angry tone of voice, “It’s a dangerous energy source and a contentious topic,” also adding, “You are ruining your career.” Honestly, I didn’t care if I was, because by that point helping solve climate change by getting people on board with nuclear electricity felt much more important than selling clothes. After she hung up (and unfollowed me), I knew she would never book me for jobs again.
Even my friends thought I had gone mad and said as much to other friends. Some at least had the courage to say it to my face, and they all repeated a similar version of “Why are you doing this? Your videos are weird and nuclear energy is bad.” At the time, I paid a big social cost for voicing my opinions and doing it in an unconventional way.
I knew they were wrong. By that point I had realized there are few issues more misunderstood and unfairly maligned than nuclear electricity.
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