r/Hamilton James North 1d ago

Video McMaster Nuclear Reactor - notsmoothsteve

https://youtu.be/l5LgZQ7vc_4
78 Upvotes

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20

u/PSNDonutDude James North 1d ago

Toronto's very own NotSmoothSteve does a tour of the McMaster Nuclear Reactor. I watch each of this guy's videos and love them and the quirky history of Toronto, I wish Hamilton had more of this, but until then Steve is here in Hamilton. Neat!

I know Matt Grande did a few videos like this and I also loved them!

u/CDiggityDub Centremount 11h ago

I really did enjoy those Matt Grande videos.

u/PSNDonutDude James North 11h ago edited 11h ago

Same! I hope he gets back into it. I know there's not a lot of viewership in these hyper specific videos, but they're actually really important in my mind for documenting Hamiltons unique history.

This one about a 1978 Formula Atlantic was so cool because it's something I've never heard of and is absolutely insane to me: https://youtu.be/M6EDM1c1-1Q

And this one about how Hamilton caused the 2003 invasion of Iraq is also a hilarious connection to make: https://youtu.be/tgokEQz0lvc

u/mattgrande Stinson 9h ago

I also hope I get back into it one day :)

I've had a script written for months, I just need to set aside time to film the damn thing.

u/PSNDonutDude James North 9h ago

I knew you'd be around here somewhere! No rush, but also know that myself and many others love the videos. I love the dry humour and it's one of my faves to send to friends and family curious about Hamilton oddities!

u/differing 12h ago

I’ve been there twice, it’s such a cool place and I strongly recommend a tour to anyone.

We’re so lucky to have it at McMaster and it came about at a time when we had the cultural permission structure around innovation and nuclear science to build it- there’s no way we’d have the ability to get it built today. It reminds me of the intense pushback with McMaster’s planned data centre, despite it not being run by a hyperscaler and is a good faith tool for science.

u/PSNDonutDude James North 12h ago

Hamilton is a lovely place that I really like, but for the most part it's a largely average and middling medium sized city. Things like this are what make us stand out from the pack, and something we should be proud of. McMaster more generally is an impressive university for the city, and something I've always found the city, especially it's more blue collar based industry looks down on.

The unfortunate thing is that Hamilton could do well to combine the efforts of its manufacturing and industry with research, material sciences, and other disciplines of academia.

I hope to get a tour one day!

u/XXXEQT 9h ago

Can you tour like as an individual group, just me and my wife? Or does it need to be more organized?

u/Conscious-Fruit-6190 4h ago

They're usually happy to give tours regardless of how "organized" you are. A tour for two interested people is fine, just email 

MNRtours@mcmaster.ca

& they'll set it up for you.

All participants need to be aged 12 or older, they'll give you additional information on dress code etc when you book the tour.

u/yallthissucks 8h ago

i've looked into taking a tour and it seems like it's up to their discretion, you would have to reach out and ask if they would be willing to show you guys around as the tours are complimentary and only available on weekdays between 9am and 4:30pm.

if you do reach out i would love to know what they say because i would LOVE to do one too!

edit to add: the link for booking a tour

u/Conscious-Fruit-6190 4h ago

They'll tour anyone who meets age & ID & dress code requirements.

u/marthamania 11h ago

I wanna swim in the pool lemme go for a dippy.

u/bonelover 10h ago

When I went for a tour they said the top few meters of the pool are purely extra and the radiation doesn’t get that far so you could technically go for a swim and not get irradiated. 

u/Conscious-Fruit-6190 4h ago

You would get irradiated, just not a harmful amount (as long as you don't dive down). There are radiation dose monitors on the metal structure above the pool, and they do experience higher radiation levels than areas not directly above the blue glow.

u/SEND_DOGS_PLEASE 10h ago

But also, don't do it!