The Real Outrage of Nuclear Energy

Everone knows of the outrages regarding nuclear energy. "Nuclear energy is going to destroy all living things on Earth!", "Everyone who lives near a nuclear plant is going to die of cancer!" and, my personal favorite, "Nuclear energy is going to cause the sun to collapse into a black hole and swallow the Earth!". If you believe these, especially the last one, read on. 


First off, the nuclear energy that we have here really is safe. There are accidents that occur, but really, the day to day dangers of nuclear energy are overblown by the media. (If anyone on CNN or FoxNews is reading this, yes, I mean you!). Nuclear power creates electricity using sustained nuclear fission. Nuclear fission involves splitting the nucleus of an atom to make smaller nuclei. The process will often release free neutrons and photons. Nuclear fission is generally used with Uranium-235. A free photon is shot at the nucleus of the uranium atom. The collision creates Uranium-236, which splits into many smaller nuclei. The particles released from the breaking of the Uranium-236 collide with other Uranium-235, causing a chain reaction. The chain reaction releases heat, which is used to generate electricity. 





There are definite dangers regarding this nuclear power, (think Chernobyl), but in comparison to other forms of electricity production, nuclear power is definitely safer than most. 


The main problem with nuclear power is the waste. The process creates Plutonium-239, a highly radioactive substance which can be used to make nuclear weapons. The Plutonium-239 is generally placed in nuclear waste dumps, which are growing in size across the country. What we need is something we can use for nuclear energy which will require simpler mechanics, will be less dangerous, and won't leave nuclear waste behind. 


Enter Thorium. Thorium isn't very radioactive, in fact, you could carry a lump of it in your pocket without harm. Thorium is unique because in the nuclear power generators, it will release more free neutrons that equal amounts of Uranium. This means that less fuel is used, and therefore, less waste. Thorium is easier controlled than Uranium, which greatly reduces the chances of nuclear meltdown. Thorium is also a very common element- the US alone has at least 175,000 tons of it. Other countries, such as India, have even more. 


So why isn't Thorium used instead of Uranium-235? Thank the Cold War, the only true outrage of nuclear energy. While America and the Soviet Union were in a deadlock, both were trying to gain the upper hand in a struggle for world dominance. And both were creating nuclear weapons. The US was the leading country in nuclear development, and it knew both the benefits of Thorium powered nuclear energy and the risks of Uranium. So why did Uranium and not Thorium become the mainstream nuclear energy fuel? Weapons. The Plutonium waste from Uranium reactors can be used to create nuclear weapons. The US wanted these weapons, and thus Uranium became the mainstream nuclear fuel. 


For the past 50 years, Thorium has been nearly forgotten, but recently scientists and engineers are starting to rediscover the benefits of Thorium fueled nuclear energy. India especially has a growing percentage of Thorium nuclear power plants. The US us hoping to follow along with its own Thorium plants, but before this can happen, the common anti-nuclear opinion of the American population must be educated and the skeptics convinced. Eventually, however, Thorium fueled nuclear energy will become the only source of nuclear power worldwide, once people realize the safety, economic and ecological benefits. 


For more information, visit: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/12/ff_new_nukes/