| There's a lot of talk these days about nuclear energy. | | | | man. |
| The subject has been discussed ad nauseam. So | | | | And then there's the problem of what to do with all |
| what's the truth? Is nuclear energy the magic formula | | | | of that radioactive waste that is created when |
| that will save the world, or is it the evil power that | | | | nuclear power is generated. Nobody wants the stuff. |
| will destroy it? | | | | The old "not in my backyard" sentiment prevails. And |
| Nuclear power certainly has at least one very | | | | nobody should want it. It's dangerous and deadly. |
| appealing feature: it isn't fossil fuel. It doesn't have to | | | | Radiation accidents are one of the main concerns of |
| be pumped out of the ground. On the other hand, | | | | producing energy in nuclear reactors. |
| the source of nuclear energy is uranium, and uranium | | | | The words "Chernobyl disaster" come to mind. The |
| is not a renewable energy source. The largest known | | | | nuclear reactor plant near Pripyat in the Ukrainian |
| deposits are in Australia. It's easily mined and easily | | | | Soviet Socialist Republic exploded on April 26, 1986 |
| shipped to nuclear reactor sites around the world. | | | | -23 YEARS ago - and the place is still a wasteland. |
| The two processes in producing nuclear energy are | | | | We're told that "only" 30 people died in the initial |
| fission and fusion. Fission creates more than 10 million | | | | explosion, but the number of deaths from cancer |
| times the energy that is created in the burning of | | | | caused by the release of the radiation is more likely |
| fossil fuels. That's the good part. Fusion, on the other | | | | in the thousands. |
| hand (which is the process of joining nuclei), has not | | | | So you can draw your own conclusions. There are |
| yet been safely controlled. Fusion happens naturally in | | | | both advantages and disadvantages to nuclear |
| stars and the sun and in nuclear reactors built by | | | | energy. |