Skip to main content

Navigation

Spotlight

NRC eLearning

NRC eLearning icon consisting of a pale green background with an image of a horizontal pencil serving as a desk top; on the desktop is a computer monitor which as blank lines of text on a white backgound with an orange bookmark which says 'learn online' in white font; Also on the desk top is a pair of reading glasses and a desk lamp shining down onto the desk top; the computer monitor image serves as the trunk of a tree with many other various NRC web site icons all linked together as branches of the tree; the other icons representing various NRC programs

We'd like to introduce our new NRC eLearning initiative to help parents who may suddenly have children out of school – and for adults who would like to know a bit more about science, nuclear technology and the NRC. Once a week, we'll highlight content on our website and YouTube channel, including history videos, games and a series on basic science principles relevant to the NRC.

Some of the links on this page are to non-NRC servers and websites and are provided solely as a reference for the convenience of users. NRC cannot guarantee the authenticity of documents or the validity of information obtained at these non-NRC websites. See our Site Disclaimer for more information.

Student Corner NRC Facts navigational icon consisting of a male cartoon character holding a pointer to the words NRC Facts

We're highlighting NRC Facts where you can learn more about what we do and nuclear history starting with December 2, 1942 – when the first nuclear reactor in the world created a stable, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.

NRC Facts

On a pale, flat black background, with a small NRC logo in the upper right corner, and colored rings such as around planet Saturn below, are the words '3 Minutes with...NRC Meteorologist'

This video from our "3 Minutes With" series is a great addition to NRC eLearning. Find out what our meteorologists do and how their work impacts the NRC mission.

3 Minutes w/An NRC Meteorologist

Science 101 navigational icon consisting of the words Science 101 with an image of an industrial type light with shade shining on a green chalk-board with the words Science 101 and an atom symbol

Check out the first installment of our Science 101 series, where we talk about the basic building block of matter – the atom.

What is an atom?

On a gradient white background (with darker portion at bottom half), is the cover from the NRC 'Moments in NRC History' series video: 'NS Savannah - Nuclear-Powered Merchant Ship: July 21, 1959' - consisting of medium blue text title above a grey horizontal rule, with date: July 21, 1959, in black text displaying flush right below the horizontal rule

Take a trip to the past in this video from our "Moments in NRC History" series. Our historian, Tom Wellock, talks about the NS Savannah – the world’s first nuclear-powered merchant ship.

Moments in NRC History Video: NS Savannah

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; On the right half, is a drawing of a faceless stick figure wearing a red fireman's helmet while giving a thumbs up and leaning against a smoke detector standing on its edge

Ever wondered how a smoke detector does its job and how the NRC is involved? Take a look at our backgrounder to find out!

NRC Backgrounder on Smoke Detectors

Cover from NRC video '3 Minutes with....Human Factors Research' consisting of a flat black background with pale colored rings (like as seen around planet Saturn) coming in from upper right of image over to mid left side and then terminating down at the lower right corner - with the NRC web site logo in upper left corner (in white text)

Did you know we have organizational, cognitive and social psychologists on our staff? Find out what they do at the NRC.

3 Minutes w/NRC Human Factors Expert

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

After the NRC Science 101 lesson on the atom, it's on to another basic of science — chemicals and chemical reactions.

What is a chemical?

On a gray background - the words 'Can you guess the nuclear term based on this clue' are written with a play video icon hovering over the text and the United States NRC logo in the upper right hand corner.

Can you guess the nuclear term? We provide a clue, you guess the term before it appears on the screen.

NRC Guess the Nuclear Term: 17

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with a green outline of the exit sign in red

Read our backgrounder to find out about those exit signs that glow in the dark and often contain a radioactive gas called tritium.

NRC Backgrounder on Tritium Exit Signs

On a white background - the words Founding of the NRC is above a gray line and below the line is the date January nineteenth nineteen-seventy-five.

How, when and why was the NRC founded? The answers can be found in our "Moments in NRC History" video.

Moments in NRC History: NRC Founding

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

It's back to our Science 101 series for NRC eLearning to cover the serious matter of "matter."

What is Matter?

On a gray background - the words 'Can you guess the nuclear term based on this clue' are written with a play video icon hovering over the text and the United States NRC logo in the upper right hand corner.

Here's another "Guess the Nuclear Term" challenge. How much do you know about nuclear?

NRC Guess the Nuclear Term: 15

On a pale, flat black background, with a small NRC logo in the upper right corner, and colored rings such as around planet Saturn below, are the words '3 Minutes with...Thermal Engineer'.

Find out what it takes to be a thermal engineer at the NRC.

3 Minutes w/An NRC Thermal Engineer

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

Learn about quantities and measurement in our Science 101 post.

What are quantities and measurement?

On a gray background - the words 'Can you guess the nuclear term based on this clue' are written with a play video icon hovering over the text and the United States NRC logo in the upper right hand corner.

Can you guess this nuclear term related research and test reactors?

NRC Guess the Nuclear Term: 13

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with the NRC logo

What do you know about commercial irradiators? Check out our backgrounder on the topic.

NRC Backgrounder on Commercial Irradiators

On a pale, flat black background, with a small NRC logo in the upper right corner, and colored rings such as around planet Saturn below, are the words '3 Minutes with...Health Physicist'.

What is a health physicist and what do they do? Find out in this NRC video.

3 Minutes w/An NRC Health Physicist

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

Check out our Science 101 post to learn about ionizing radiation.

What is ionizing radiation?

An image of barbed wire with the words 'Security and Nuclear Plants' in front.

Find out about the security measures in place at U.S. nuclear power plants.

Security and Nuclear Plants

On a gray background - the words 'Can you guess the nuclear term based on this clue' are written with a play video icon hovering over the text and the United States NRC logo in the upper right hand corner.

Can you guess this nuclear term related to nuclear plant power uprates?

NRC Guess the Nuclear Term Challenge

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with the NRC logo

Find out about Agreement States, states that have taken over regulatory authority of certain radioactive materials.

NRC Backgrounder on Agreement States

On a gray background - the words 'Can you guess the nuclear term based on this clue' are written with a play video icon hovering over the text and the United States NRC logo in the upper right hand corner.

Can you guess this nuclear term? It's a computer that helps with our emergency response efforts.

NRC Guess the Nuclear Term: 19

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

What are the four major types of radiation? Find out from our Science 101 post.

What are the Different Types of Radiation?

On a tan background, the NRC logo with the words 'Fire Protection Program for Operating Reactors' written in red.

Learn about fire protection at U.S. nuclear power plants.

Fire Protection Program

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

Do you know how a Geiger counter works? Find out from our Science 101 post.

What is a Geiger Counter?

display of the periodic table of elements with the words 'Fun and Games' are written in yellow with a green back ground with illustration of a atom figure

See if you can find the radioactive isotopes on the Periodic Table of Elements.

NRC Student Corner - Fun and Games

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

What is Plutonium? Find out from our Science 101 post.

What is Plutonium?

On a gray background - the words 'Can you guess the nuclear term based on this clue' are written with a play video icon hovering over the text and the United States NRC logo in the upper right hand corner.

Can you guess this medical treatment that uses radioactive material?

NRC Guess the Nuclear Term: 7

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with the NRC logo

Learn about NRC's role in licensing nuclear power plant reactor operators.

NRC Backgrounder on Reactor Operator Licensing

Learn about our role to ensure safe and secure use of radioactive materials.

Radioactive Materials Security

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

What is a Chain Reaction? Check out our Science 101 post to find out.

What is a Chain Reaction?

Here’s a Moments in NRC History video with an historical perspective on our international programs. 

Moments in NRC History: Atoms for Peace

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with the NRC logo

Check out our backgrounder to find out why we’re interested in blue topaz gemstones.     

Irradiated Gemstones   

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

How does a nuclear power plant make electricity? Take a look at our Science 101 post to find out.

How Does a Nuclear Power Plant Make Electricity?
 

On a gray background - the words 'Can you guess the nuclear term based on this clue' are written with a play video icon hovering over the text and the United States NRC logo in the upper right hand corner.

Guess this nuclear term related to measuring and recording doses of ionizing radiation.

NRC Guess the Nuclear Term: 24

NRC eLearning icon consisting of a pale green background with an image of a horizontal pencil serving as a desk top; on the desktop is a computer monitor which as blank lines of text on a white backgound with an orange bookmark which says 'learn online' in white font; Also on the desk top is a pair of reading glasses and a desk lamp shining down onto the desk top; the computer monitor image serves as the trunk of a tree with many other various NRC web site icons all linked together as branches of the tree; the other icons representing various NRC programs; with a crossword puzzle to the left.

Can you complete this crossword puzzle from our Student Corner website?

NRC Student Corner - Crossword Puzzle

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

Read our Science 101 post: What is Nuclear Fuel?

What is Nuclear Fuel?

Image consisting of light green colored backgroung with 2020-2021 in large font at top center, and below that, Information Digest in white font; to the right, spanning from top right to bottom right edge are 6 icons from top to bottom: green colored circle containing a symbol for international, the below a blue colored circle containing a symbol for nuclear reactors, then a darker blue circle containing a symbol for medicine, then a magenta color circle containing the radioactive symbol, and then a red colored circle containing a symbol for security as security officer and finally just left of this symbol a yellow colored circle with the abbreviation NRC.

Check out the “Nuclear Reactors” section of the NRC Information Digest.

NRC Information Digest: Nuclear Reactors

On a blue backgound, the words 'The NRC who we are and what we do' are written in white font. An American Flag is located below the text.

Get some nuclear and radiation facts from our Who We Are, What We Do video.

Who We Are, What We Do

An image of a cross sectioned diagram of a Pressurized Water Reactor.

How does a pressurized water reactor work?

Pressurized Water Reactors

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

What is spent nuclear fuel? Find out in our Science 101 post.

What is Spent Nuclear Fuel?  
 

On a chalkboard background - the words 'NRC's Science 101' are written in orange with a figure in an academic cap and glasses, pointing to the words written on the chalkboard.

Test your knowledge about radiation, nuclear energy and the NRC.

What do you Know?

src=

Learn about the 1979 accident at the Three Mile Island Unit 2 reactor.

Moments in NRC History: Three Mile Island

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with the NRC logo

Read our backgrounder to learn about the storage of spent nuclear fuel.     

NRC Backgrounder on Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel

Title in a green background 'Careers' with an avatar scientist with flasks on a contrast background color red

Thinking about a career at the NRC? Check out our web page for more information.      

Careers at the NRC

On a navy purple background - with a film strip of scientist on top text displaying 'History of Health Physics' and bottom text displaying '1891-1900'

Take a look at our “History of Health Physics: 1891-1900” video.

History of Health Physics: 1891-1900

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with the NRC logo

Check out our backgrounder for information on the NRC’s Incident Response Program.      

NRC Backgrounder on Incident Response

Displaying a teacher with font in front of board displaying 'For Educators' in blue, green, and yellow background colors

Can you complete the lessons found in the “For Educators” section of our Student Corner site?

For Educators

On a navy purple background - with a film strip of scientist on top text displaying 'History of Health Physics' and bottom text displaying '1901-1910'

Take a look at our “History of Health Physics: 1901-1910” video.

History of Health Physics: 1901-1910

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with the NRC logo

Learn about cyber security requirements for nuclear power facilities.      

NRC Backgrounder on Cyber Security

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with the NRC logo

Find out about NRC’s role in regulating the medical use of radioactive material. 

NRC Backgrounder on Medical Use of Radioactive Materials

On a navy greenish-yellow background with a purple contrast on top border - with a film strip of scientist on top text displaying 'History of Health Physics' and bottom text displaying '1911-1920'

Take a look at our "History of Health Physics: 1911-1920" video.

History of Health Physics: 1911-1920

On a blue background with Symbol of an Atom and text 'NRC Fitness-for-Duty-Requirements'

Learn about NRC fitness-for-duty requirements for nuclear facilities.    

NRC Fitness-for-Duty Programs

On a navy-purple background - with a black and white film strip image of historical people, buildings and events on top and the words 'History of Health Physics 1921-1930'

Take a look at our “History of Health Physics: 1921-1930” video.

History of Health Physics: 1921-1930

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with the NRC logo

Learn about transportation of spent fuel and our role in ensuring its safety.    

NRC Backgrounder on Transportation of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Materials

Left side of image on a black background with the words Boiling Water Reactor in white font; mid to right side of image is a diagram of the components that make a Boiling Water Reactor

Find out how a typical boiling water reactor works.

Boiling Water Reactors

On a greenish-blue background - with a black and white film strip image of historical people, buildings and events on top and the words 'History of Health Physics 1931-1940'

Take a look at our “History of Health Physics: 1931-1940” video.

History of Health Physics: 1931-1940

On a blue background - the words 'State Programs At the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission' with the United States NRC logo at top and on left the three smaller images.

Learn about how we collaborate with states to carry out our mission.       

State Programs at the NRC  

On a grey background - the words 'Can you guess the nuclear term based on this clue' are written with a play video icon hovering over the text and the United States NRC logo in the upper right hand corner.

Can you guess this nuclear term related to the components of a nuclear power plant?       

NRC Guess the Nuclear Term: 23

On a blue background - the words 'Governing Laws' are written with books icon on right of text and the United States NRC logo in the upper left hand corner.

Find out which laws govern NRC activities.       

NRC Governing Laws  

On a blue background - the words 'Document Collections' are written with a document icon on left of text and the United States NRC logo in the upper right hand corner.

Browse major NRC document collections.

NRC Document Collections

Learn about the different kinds of radioactive waste we regulate.

Radioactive Waste

Did you know you can comment on important NRC documents? Find out more on our web site.

Documents for Comment

What’s the U.S. Constitution’s role in the formation and function of the NRC?

NRC Facebook post

What do attorneys do at the NRC? Find out more on our web site.

Office of the General Counsel

Check out the History 101 collection on the Student Corner.

NRC History 101 Collection

Find out what's next on the agenda for our NRC historian.

Conversation with the NRC Historian

Learn about NRC grant opportunities.

NRC Grant Opportunities

Hollywood and nuclear, fact or fiction?

Hollywood and Nuclear

Check out the History 101 post on an interesting nuclear term.

Putting an Axe to the 'Scram' Myth

On a navy blue background - the NRC seal logo appears in white, with the text 'NRC Backgrounder' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with the NRC logo

Find out why we do force-on-force inspections. 

NRC Backgrounder on Force-on-Force Inspections

On a navy blue background - the NRC atom symbal with the text 'NRC Research Activities' below - taking up half of this image; on a white background with the NRC logo

Learn about our research activities.

NRC Research Activities

Take a look at the History 101 post on a key nuclear safety concept.

NRC History 101: Defense in Depth

Learn about our role in decommissioning nuclear facilities.

Decommissioning Nuclear Facilities

Find out what it takes to be licensed as a nuclear pharmacist.

Training for Authorized Nuclear Pharmacist

Learn about the medical uses of nuclear materials.

Medical Uses of Nuclear Materials

Take a break to enjoy some NRC-related fun and games.

NRC Student Corner

Find a document in the NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System.

ADAMS Public Documents

For additional information, see our Site Disclaimer and Guidelines for Using NRC Photos and Images.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, February 02, 2026

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, February 02, 2026