Business of the Bomb

The number of nations seeking nuclear technology is rising. An hour-long documentary by CIR and American RadioWorks for public radio investigates the most serious threats of nuclear proliferation today. Photo: Mungo Poore
> LISTEN to the radio story on ARW
> READ the story
> More about South Africa's nuclear underground

When South African police raided the Tradefin warehouse in 2004, they found bomb-making parts and a videotape promoting nuclear kingpin A.Q. Khan's laboratory in Pakistan and advertising his bomb-building skills. CIR obtained an audio excerpt of that videotape.
> Listen to the audio excerpt

A review of reported nuclear smuggling cases turns up mostly minor incidents. It's the cases we don't see that worry nuclear proliferation experts the most.
> What is "weapons-grade" uranium? What does it take to build a bomb?

Nuclear power is back on the table as an alternative to carbon-based energy. But some say reviving the global nuclear energy industry presents security risks: The same machinery that makes fuel for power plants can make fuel for bombs.
>Read about Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" Plan