Daniel Santos (@Perspectiva_nuclear)
Nuclear technology and science communicator"The nuclear shutdown has become outdated in the current geopolitical context"
Daniel Santos, better known as Perspectiva_nuclear, is a Spanish content creator specialising in nuclear energy. An electrical engineer with a Master's Degree in Nuclear Technology, his posts present a positive perspective on nuclear energy and its role as a green option in the energy mix. His profile features the slogan Go Green, Go Nuclear. He has 54,000 followers on Instagram and over 7,000 on TikTok. In this interview with Foro Nuclear, he reflects on the role of science communicators and the importance of debunking myths and misinformation about nuclear energy.
Have you always held the same views on nuclear technology?
Yes, always. This is in part because, before I began my studies, I lacked enough knowledge of the subject to think critically and form a coherent opinion.
Would you describe yourself as an engineer who communicates, a specialised content creator or a pro-nuclear energy activist?
I don't think I could choose one single label for myself. Based on facts, I'm an engineer who communicates, but broadly speaking my content takes an activist stance in favour of nuclear energy. I use content creation as a platform to reach people and get my message across. If I had to define myself, none of the descriptions you mentioned would be wrong. I'll leave it up to the readers to decide which one fits best.
Is science communication a hobby for you, or has it become your profession?
Science communication started as a hobby, and it still is today. I never imagined I would be able to reach so many people, or that so many would be interested in what I have to say. Over the past few months, I’ve been reflecting on this, and I like the idea of turning science communication into my profession one day. However, it’s not easy, and it requires time that I just didn't have until now.
What are the biggest challenges when it comes to choosing the topics, approach and content of your videos?
When I cover a particular topic I have to break it down into several videos, and it is difficult to find the right balance between explaining it in depth and avoiding repetition. However, the biggest challenge when it comes to the approach and content of my videos is simplifying fairly complex concepts and terminology. I often end up giving explanations that are too superficial, partly because of the limited length of the videos. Sometimes, because of the complexity of the subject I'm discussing, my message may have been misinterpreted or certain details may not have come across clearly enough.
"It is difficult to find the right balance between explaining a topic in depth and avoiding repetition"
How do you prepare your videos, and how do you go about explaining complex topics such as nuclear fusion to a general audience?
The visual preparation is fairly basic. I use a green screen and images sourced from Google or generated with artificial intelligence. The most interesting part lies in the script and the accuracy of the data I provide, which comes both from my academic background in engineering and thermodynamics and from official sources, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR).
What are the most common prejudices and false beliefs about nuclear energy? And which are the hardest to overcome?
The biggest prejudice and the most widespread false belief largely revolve around past nuclear accidents, particularly Chernobyl. Not only are these the most common misconceptions, but also the ones that will take the longest to overcome. Human beings are wired to remember the bad and overlook the good. The same happens in other fields of engineering such as aviation, where a single accident attracts more attention than the thousands of flights that reach their destinations safely every day. That is why we should neither deny nor conceal what happened, but instead educate people and show how these events have helped make nuclear energy safer with each passing day.
"The script and the accuracy of the information I provide are based on both official sources and my academic background"
How do you manage to find the right balance between clarity and accuracy in your content?
It’s not easy. I try to maintain a consistent approach so that, as I like to put it, "your mate from the block" can understand physics as easily as basic arithmetic, without losing the rigour and precision that characterise purely scientific explanations. I’ve mostly found that balance through trial and error, posting content and adapting to the feedback I got. Social media isn’t an exact science, so some videos may not work as well as others. That’s why I always encourage everyone to check the facts and the sources I rely on, which not only explain the topics in more rigorous scientific terms but also provide much broader context than a short-form video can offer.
How do you think the relationship between nuclear energy and renewables should be approached?
I still need to learn more about Spain's energy system, as my current understanding of the subject could well differ from my future understanding. However, right now I see no complications regarding the symbiosis of both energies. In fact, if our goal is to build an energetically robust country without relying on traditional energy sources that emit greenhouse gases or on foreign countries, closing the door to either energy source would condemn us to an energy death.
"Nuclear energy can compensate for the limitations of renewables"
Thanks to our country's geographical location, we can consider ourselves fortunate to be able to harness renewable energy resources. However, relying solely on renewables would create many problems. This is where nuclear energy can help compensate for the limitations of renewables. For all these reasons, pragmatism should take precedence over ideology when designing our national energy mix.
"Pragmatism should take precedence over ideology when designing our national energy mix"
Do you believe that the phase-out agenda for Spain's nuclear power plants will be reconsider?
Absolutely, as we can already see from the extension of Almaraz’s operating life. I believe that the idea of shutting down nuclear power plants that was proposed years ago has become outdated, not only because it makes no sense in itself but also because of the current geopolitical situation. That is why, now more than ever, we need a well-informed public that knows what it wants and can make decisions about its own future.
What kind of reactions and comments do you usually get from the people that follow your content?
At first I got as much hate as support, but these days I'm getting a lot more support—not just from people who regularly follow my content but also from new people I reach with each video.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Yes. This message is for any reader who may feel overwhelmed by the amount of information circulating on social media. Although I use these platforms to reach people, it is their responsibility as critical thinkers to verify the information they come across by consulting official sources and, on that basis, form their own opinions. There is nothing wrong with trusting content creators or science communicators, but human error is always a possibility.
Finally, I'd like to take my leave with a thought attributed to Albert Einstein: "The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking."
