Tucked away in the vast Idaho desert lies a little known site that changed history - the Experimental Breeder Reactor 1 (EBR-1), the world's first nuclear reactor to generate electricity. This unassuming building played a pivotal role in unlocking the awesome power of the atom. On December 20, 1951, engineers held their breath as they slowly removed the control rods from EBR-1's core. The reactor came to life, its uranium fuel sustaining a controlled nuclear chain reaction for the first time. The first nuclear generated electricity lit up four light bulbs in that building - a modest beginning to the atomic age! EBR-1 was built in a hurry to test concepts for breeding nuclear fuel during the early Cold War years. It was part of a national effort spearheaded by ambitious physicists who firmly believed nuclear energy would be the key to America's future security and progress. Little did they know that their scrappy test reactor would make history. EBR-1's success paved the way for larg...