This new gallery at Nehru Science Centre aims to demystify nuclear power

As we step into the new gallery dedicated to nuclear power at Nehru Science Centre on a Sunday wersquore mentally revisiting everything we know about the subject mdash the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki the time the world nearly ended during the Cuban Missile Crisis and haunting scenes from the web series Chernobyl 2019 Itrsquos a long walk so we have time to let these heavy thoughts simmer But inside the gallery there are no intimidating weapons of destruction no grim photos of disaster Instead two toddlers are enthusiastically hammering buttons on a miniature calandria the central unit of a nuclear reactor Something tells us this gallery is not what we thought it would beThe writer interacts with the immersive radiation exposure exhibitldquoLet them be these are dummy machines We couldnrsquot possibly bring real parts that have been exposed to radiation to the galleryrdquo Umesh Kumar Rustagi director of the Centre assures us as he guides us to a centrally placed model of a nuclear power plant The director who also has a Master of Science degree in Physics has his eyes set on two striking domeshaped buildings in the complex ldquoThese are reinforced containment buildings Even if there was a repeat of Chernobyl or Fukushima these buildings will ensure a disaster is averted We wanted to highlight these advancements in safety because many visitors will walk in with fear and uncertainty in their mindrdquo he says Wersquore guilty as chargedUmesh Kumar Rustagi explains the working of a nuclear plantOpening its doors after nearly two years of construction the gallery believes in show tell and do it yourself At an interactive exhibit LED lights guide us through the process of nuclear fission mdash the fundamental science behind a reactor We wish our textbooks had made the concept this easy to understand Not far away a motion sensor powered zone allows us to expose ourselves to radiation a mock recreation of course Using hand gestures to pick activities like smoking a cigarette getting a PET scan and a heart catheterisation preferably not in that order a progress bar on the side tells us how miniscule these exposures are compared to seriously toxic exposureA ventilated bodysuit on display alongside safety gear at the galleryBehind us preparations are gathering steam quite literally A replica of a cooling tower starts releasing steam ldquoPeople often mistake these towers for the reactors because of how visually striking they are The live demo will help them understand how water used in the reactors comes to the towers to be cooled downrdquo the director remarks Next to it a dummy fuel bundle manufactured by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited covers nearly end to end of the hall when laid down As with every exhibit a detailed information panel reveals a fun fact If the fuel assembly was real it would be enough to power 120000 homes in Mumbai for a monthFrom left The nuclear fusion reactor model a young visitor explores the calandria the nuclear fission panelAmid these exhibits that might be novel for most Mumbaikars the bust of a familiar city icon is hard to miss A section dedicated to Dr Homi Bhabha makes for the perfect break from science for a history lesson at the gallery From photographs of Dr Bhabha with Albert Einstein CV Raman and Niels Bohr to the pioneering scientistrsquos leisurely pencil sketches the section is worth an unhurried viewing As Rustagi puts it ldquoDr Bhabha was a visionary par excellence His blueprint for the Indian nuclear programme remains a prized possession for us even todayrdquoA section dedicated to Dr Homi Bhabha features photographsWe continue our exploration with a chat with the director about what the future holds for the Indian programme He guides us to a display that features a representation of one tonne of coal three barrels of crude oil alongside a tiny fragment of Uranium dummy ldquoThey all generate the same amount of energyrdquo he reveals adding ldquoYou cannot discount the role nuclear energy will play in Indiarsquos journey to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the near futurerdquoA bust of the pioneering scientistA complex structure towards the end of the gallery is a symbol of hope A model of an experimental tokamak reactor that harnesses the power of nuclear fusion it is the second and more efficient way of nuclear energy generation Rustagi explains ldquoIndia has a robust fusion research programme If mastered the results will be several times more efficient than fission Nuclear fusion is the same process that keeps the Sun burning red hot And you know that the Sun will shine bright for at least 5 billion more years rightrdquo With the way the mercury is soaring on the Sunday afternoon that we had dropped by we wish we didnrsquot knowAT Nehru Science Centre Jijamata Nagar Dr E Moses Road WorliTIME 930 am to 6 pm open all daysENTRY Centre entry fees apply Can you digest thisAn infographic from the Food Irradiation sectionNuclear radiation is all around you Food irradiation the process of subjecting harvested produce with minimal radiation helps grains and legumes stay safe for consumption for longer periods Irradiated food products are common and safe for human consumption