Access

Books and Arts

Nature 458, 577 (2 April 2009) | doi:10.1038/458577a; Published online 1 April 2009

Open Innovation Challenges

naturejobs

Q&A: The art of transmutation

James Acord

Top

James Acord is the only sculptor licensed to work with radioactive materials. Formally trained in nuclear physics, he tells Nature why he thinks contaminated nuclear sites should be marked for future generations and explains his obsession with the nuclear age.

Why do you think nuclear sites should be marked?The land around the decommissioned US nuclear-processing facility in Hanford, Washington state, is so contaminated that it will never be completely cleaned up.