Inside every atomic nucleus, protons and neutrons are bound together by the strong nuclear force — the most powerful force in nature. When nuclei split (fission) or merge (fusion), they release millions of times more energy per atom than any chemical reaction. This nuclear energy powers the Sun, drives nuclear reactors, and created the most destructive weapons in history.
These simulations explore nuclear physics from radioactive decay chains to fission chain reactions and the extreme conditions needed for fusion. Watch uranium atoms split in a cascade, calculate how long radioactive materials remain dangerous, and discover why achieving controlled fusion has been 'thirty years away' for seventy years.