Question: does nuclear always revolve around nuclear power plants?

Caroline Roche answered on 22 Jul 2025:

Not really, nuclear power plants are just the most visible of examples.
The nuclear industry links with a lot of other industries. In medicine – different scanners and treatments use forms of radiation to help cure people. You will also find nuclear reactors dedicated to the production of isotopes for these treatments. X-rays are used in medicine but also in welding as a form of non-destructive testing. Nuclear is also used as a form of propulsion for certain ships and submarines, plus spacecraft or Mars rovers like Curiosity and Perseverance were powered using a nuclear generator. There are lots more examples available but they would be on a smaller scale that a nuclear power plant.