nuclears

Nuclears is not a standard term in scholarly or technical writing. In general, it is encountered as an informal or pluralized form that people use when referring collectively to nuclear-related topics. Its meaning is highly dependent on context and is not universally understood without clarification.

Possible interpretations include: (a) nuclear energy systems, encompassing power reactors, fuel cycles, and related infrastructure; (b) nuclear weapons and strategic capabilities; (c) colloquial shorthand for activities or programs associated with the nucleus in physics, though this last use is rare and ambiguous.

Because of this ambiguity, formal writing typically avoids nuclears as a term. Instead, writers specify: nuclear energy, nuclear power, nuclear reactors, the nuclear fuel cycle; or nuclear weapons, arms control; or nuclear physics, nucleons, nuclei.

In policy and public discourse, discussions about nuclears usually involve safety, regulation, non-proliferation, accidents, and international treaties.

In sum, nuclears is an informal, ambiguous term; for precise communication, use explicit terms corresponding to the intended topic. Related topics include nuclear energy, nuclear weapons, and nuclear physics.