Discovering Nuclear Science: energy and beyond (POK)

Offered by Politecnico di Milano,
Discovering Nuclear Science: energy and beyond (POK)

Where do natural radioactivity come from? What is a radioactive atom? Which are the phases of nuclear fission? How is radioactive pollution monitored? Are nuclear waste managed managed? Talking about “nuclear issues”, many questions arise: this MOOC aims at providing scientific answers. Enroll in the course and unlock the potential of Nuclear Science to shape our future for the better. Let's get started!

Welcome to the MOOC "Discovering Nuclear Science: Energy and Beyond." This course is designed for learners of all backgrounds and interests, presenting the captivating world of Nuclear Science in an engaging and accessible manner.
Have you ever wondered about the fascinating applications of Nuclear Chemistry and Radiochemistry in our daily lives? If so, this course is the perfect opportunity to explore the answers to your questions. Through catchy questions and interactive polls, each module will introduce exciting topics that showcase the significance of Nuclear Science in our modern world.
The journey begins with engaging videos providing an overview of each module's subject. As you delve deeper, you will find a series of user-friendly lessons that gradually uncover the fundamental concepts and real-world applications of Nuclear Science and Technology. Fear not, there are no overly challenging lessons here! We've crafted this course to be inclusive and suitable for everyone. Our goal is to ensure that each learner, regardless of their background, can fully grasp the concepts and significance of Nuclear Science. At the end of each module, a final quiz will allow you to assess your understanding and knowledge gained. Additionally, a final lesson will provide valuable insights into the newfound awareness you've acquired throughout the course.
So, whether you're a curious individual with a general interest in science or a student looking to expand your horizons, "Discovering Nuclear Science: Energy and Beyond" promises an exciting and enlightening adventure into the world of Nuclear Science. Join us now and embark on this fascinating journey of discovery. Enroll in the course and unlock the potential of Nuclear Science to shape our future for the better. Let's get started!

The course is made of 3 sections (weeks) that cover the following topics:

Week 1 - The Nature of Radioactivity
We start our exploration of nuclear science with a question: what are radioactive elements? Perhaps you will be amazed at what you discover… Then we are going to learn how radioactive elements could be also created by humankind and used to safely bring benefits to society.

Week 2 - Ionizing Radiation in Action
Radiations are something emitted by radioactive elements while they transform into other atoms that we can not see with the eyes. We are used to considering them really dangerous, but they can be more useful than what we think.

Week 3 - Navigating Nuclear Hazards
News we get about nuclear power is often related to troubling things. We will discuss all those aspects related to the nuclear area, including the pollution coming from nuclear activities, the production of nuclear waste, the risk of nuclear accidents, that are considered themes of public concern.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Municipal Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries (Coursera) Coursera
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Municipal Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries (Coursera)

Have you come across large piles of garbage in neighborhoods and streets, or smelly waste disposal sites polluting the environment of low and middle income countries? Are you also convinced that improvements are necessary and do you want to know what kind of sustainable solutions are appropriate to better manage waste and enhance recycling and recovery? If yes, this course is for you!

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Oil & Gas Industry Operations and Markets (Coursera) Coursera
Duke University

Oil & Gas Industry Operations and Markets (Coursera)

The oil and gas industry has an enormous impact on all aspects of daily life. Individuals, corporations, and national governments make financial and policy decisions based on the cost, use, and availability of these two natural resources. This two-week course looks at the two most fundamental aspects of the oil and gas industry, its operations and markets, each of which is addressed as a separate module in the course.

Sep 30th 2026
2 Weeks
Measuring the impact of the Energy Transition (POK) Polimi OPEN KNOWLEDGE
Politecnico di Milano

Measuring the impact of the Energy Transition (POK)

The Industrial Ecology approach for assessing the Sustainability of the Energy Transition. The aim of this MOOC is to provide a holistic but quantitative and multi-dimensional perspective on the energy transition underway today. Especially when dealing with cross sectoral linkages and circular economy, the instruments made available by the Industrial Ecology can represent a great support to researchers and practitioners and can be used to better inform policy makers.

Available
3 Weeks
Essential radiochemistry for society (POK) Polimi OPEN KNOWLEDGE
Politecnico di Milano

Essential radiochemistry for society (POK)

How much radiochemistry is involved in everyday life and human activities. The MOOC “Essential Radiochemistry for Society” was born within the European project MEET-CINCH: A Modular European Education and Training Concept In Nuclear and radioCHemistry (2017-2020) to engage people discovering an unknown discipline and convey them its fascination and relevance.

Available
5-12 Weeks
General Chemistry: Concept Development and Application (Coursera) Coursera
Rice University

General Chemistry: Concept Development and Application (Coursera)

This course will cover the topics of a full year, two semester General Chemistry course. We will use a free on-line textbook, Concept Development Studies in Chemistry, available via Rice’s Connexions project. The fundamental concepts in the course will be introduced via the Concept Development Approach developed at Rice University. In this approach, we will develop the concepts you need to know from experimental observations and scientific reasoning rather than simply telling you the concepts and then asking you to simply memorize or apply them.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Global Warming I: The Science and Modeling of Climate Change (Coursera) Coursera
University of Chicago

Global Warming I: The Science and Modeling of Climate Change (Coursera)

This class describes the science of global warming and the forecast for humans’ impact on Earth’s climate. Intended for an audience without much scientific background but a healthy sense of curiosity, the class brings together insights and perspectives from physics, chemistry, biology, earth and atmospheric sciences, and even some economics—all based on a foundation of simple mathematics (algebra).

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities (Coursera) Coursera
Lund University

Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities (Coursera)

How can we shape urban development towards sustainable and prosperous futures? This course will explore sustainable cities as engines for greening the economy. We place cities in the context of sustainable urban transformation and climate change. Sustainable urban transformation refers to structural transformation processes – multi-dimensional and radical change – that can effectively direct urban development towards ambitious sustainability and climate goals. We will connect the key trends of urbanization, decarbonisation and sustainability.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Our Energy Future (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, San Diego

Our Energy Future (Coursera)

This course is designed to introduce students to the issues of energy in the 21st century – including food and fuels – which are inseparably linked – and will discuss energy production and utilization from the biology, engineering, economics, climate science, and social science perspectives. This course will cover the current production and utilization of energy, as well as the consequences of this use, examining finite fossil energy reserves, how food and energy are linked, impacts on the environment and climate, and the social and economic impacts of our present energy and food production and use.

Sep 21st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Understanding Modern Physics II: Quantum Mechanics and Atoms (Coursera) Coursera
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - HKUST

Understanding Modern Physics II: Quantum Mechanics and Atoms (Coursera)

The 20th century was known as the century of physics. In the past 120 years, concepts such as space, time, energy, entropy and particles were understood to much deeper levels. New paradigms of thinking such as relativity and quantum mechanics emerged. This course is the second course in the Understanding Modern Physics series, which covers an introduction to quantum mechanics, atomic physics and quantum information.

Sep 28th 2026
4 Weeks
Enabling policies for innovation in the Next Production Revolution (POK) Polimi OPEN KNOWLEDGE
Politecnico di Milano

Enabling policies for innovation in the Next Production Revolution (POK)

A short introduction to enabling policies for innovation in the Next Production Revolution with a focus on energy and digital regulation. The course is part of a series of Sprint MOOC addressing the Next production Revolution (NPR) paradigma, as new wave of technological innovation. It addresses people from anywhere in the world, from industrialized economies as well as from “developing countries” and particularly from Africa.

Available
2 Weeks