Uranium – Twisting the Dragon's Tail

Part 1: The Rock that Became a Bomb

In the first episode, Derek Muller tells the story of uranium and how it came to be. It shows how uranium, originally sourced from pitchblende, became the subject of intense scientific study. The effects of radiation and how radioactive elements decay are also discussed, including some of the harmful effects of uranium, and how the element enabled a single bomb that ended World War II.

Part 2: The Rock that Changed the World

In Northern Australia indigenous people have ancient stories for the place where the uranium is found. They say a great creation spirit sleeps underground, and disturbing this spirit will unleash disaster. This episode explores how from the ashes of Hiroshima, uranium promised a new Atomic Age.The same power that destroyed the city was harnessed to generate unprecedented amounts of energy and treat cancer.

Part 3: The Rock in Our Future

The third and final episode purports that uranium saves lives, treats cancer and brings hope to millions with a promise of clean, limitless power. Dr Derek Muller visits Chernobyl and Fukushima, where uranium became a nightmare. The proposition that in our energy-hungry, warming world, uranium both tempts with unbelievable power and threatens all life on earth is explored- its dual roles as destroyer and saviour, dream and nightmare.

Premiere

The series premiered on 6 August 2015, the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. The SBS premiere in Australia occurred during a year-long inquiry into the possible expansion of nuclear industrialization in South Australia. The inquiry is known as the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission. A period for public submissions to the Commission closed in the week prior to the screening of the series.

AWARDS

Winner 2016 JACKSON HOLE SCIENCE MEDIA AWARDS, Best Long Form Series, Boston

Winner 2016 Parisscience International Science Film Festival, Le Prix des Lycéens Paris

Winner 2016 ROCKIE AWARD BANFF World Media Festival Best Science and Technology Program

Winner 2015 2016 REMI AWARD Special Jury Award 49th Worldfest International, Houston

Winner 2016 YELLOW EINSTEIN Best Documentary Series Uranium Film Festival, Rio De Janeiro/Berlin

Winner 2015 ATOM AWARD Best Factual Television Series

Winner 2015 ATOM AWARD Best Documentary History

Winner 2015 ATOM AWARD Best Documentary Science

Winner 2015 ACS Victorian Award Best Cinematography

Winner 2016 Deptartement of Industry, Innovation and Science, EUREKA Prize for Science Journalism, Sydney

Nominated 2016 JACKSON HOLE SCIENCE MEDIA AWARDS, Physical Sciences, Boston

Nominated 2016 JACKSON HOLE SCIENCE MEDIA AWARDS, Writing, Boston

Nominated 2016 JACKSON HOLE SCIENCE MEDIA AWARDS, Long Form Series, Boston

Nominated 2016 JACKSON HOLE SCIENCE MEDIA AWARDS, Science Ambassador, Boston

Nominated 2016 JACKSON HOLE SCIENCE MEDIA AWARDS, Visualization, Boston

Nominated 2015 AACTA AWARD Best Director in a Documentary

Nominated 2015 AACTA AWARD Best Original Music Score in a Documentary

Nominated 2015 ASE ELLIE AWARD Best Editing in a Documentary

Official selection 2016 Parisscience International Science Film Festival, Paris

Official selection 2016 Academia Festival Olomouc 51st International Documentary Science Festival

Official selection 2016 Science Film Festival (Goethe Institute)

‘...brilliantly written and directed by Wain Fimeri… presented with panache by Derek Muller… undoubtedly one of the most talented science communicators of our time...This is one not to be missed.’

Bill Condie, Cosmos Magazine

‘Brilliant… a superb series’.

Robyn Williams, The Science Show ABC Radio National.

Pick of the week, highlight of the day, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Newsday, USA Today, Washington Post, San Francisco Cronicle.

'I’ve never felt so nervous while watching a ...documentary before…I had to pause the video to make some tea just to calm down.’ Michigan Daily

‘…an enlightening, engaging film, with the cosmic history and chemistry of uranium well-explained. Muller's excitement over what's amazing can seem at odds with what is also horrifying… But you will see him scared, too.

Robert Lloyd, Critics TV Picks Los Angeles Times

‘ "Uranium" is lively, engaging and informative ... a terrific - and slightly loopy - Muller tour of a single element. He's straight out of the school of Carl Sagan hosting - smart, lively, demonstrative, quirky. '

Verne Gay, Newsday

'The three-part documentary series gives the controversial element rock-star treatment….. Dr Muller’s journey also delves into the ancient Aboriginal Dreamtime and the fantastical nature of the element, resulting in a colourful and engaging journey about an extraordinary rock.’

Sunday Pick, Tiffany Fox, West Australian.

‘The mix of science, politics and pop culture makes for a tale that’s by turns terrifying and utopian, but never less than fascinating.’

Sunday Best, Karl Quinn, Sydney Morning Herald ‘

….the animated dragon during the alchemy scene was a truly magical scene. Watching the dragon change from one element to another really drove home the idea of uranium being a "natural shape shifter" and took the science momentarily into the world of fantasy.'

Kim Batchelor, The Michigan Daily

‘…a ripping adventure narrative… (has the) 'edge of the seat’ feeling of a supernatural thriller.’ ‘The series poses profound questions concerning the nature of good and evil…and whether we will ever be able to find the ability to balance the dream of limitless clean power with the nightmare of a silent poisoned Earth.’

The Australian, Graeme Blundell

Development

The project was in production and post-production for 12 months in preparation for the seventieth anniversary of the first detonation of a nuclear weapon, and the beginning of the atomic age. The project received investment from Film Victoria in March 2014. The project's treatment and presenter were taken to the Sunny Side of the Doc film festival and marketplace in France in 2014. The production team pitched the project at the annual EBU Science & Knowledge Pitch there and attracted ZDF/Arte (Germany/France) to join pre-existing broadcaster partners, PBS (USA) and SBS (Australia). The production has also been supported by Screen Australia.

Production team

The series is produced by Sonya Pemberton and presented by Derek Muller. It is written and directed by Wain Fimeri. Sonya Pemberton began working with Cordell Jigsaw Productions under the new name Gene Pool Productions in September 2011. Previous Gene Pool productions have covered topics including palmistry, paternity, breasts and vaccination.

Wain Fimeri has a consuming interest in people, history and stories. His work roams from dramatic screenwriting to factual documentary and quite often, a bit of both. He's a writer and director of film and television work that has resulted in prestigious acclaim from all over the world.

The Australian said, ‘Fimeri works with a poetic restraint … with grace, quiet humour, Fimeri sees his job as winkling out the truth, one of interpretation, selection and conjuring a terrific story.’

Advisors to the production include Dr Adrian "Adi" Paterson (Chief Executive, ANSTO), Carl-Magnus Larsson (Chief Executive, ARPANSA), Dr Peter Karamoskos (Treasurer, Medical Association for Prevention of War) and Adam Sharah (aboriginal anti-nuclear & peace activist).