Why are people scared of Nuclear Energy.?

Question

Why are people scared of Nuclear Energy.?

Answer 1

My biggest concern about nukes ... and I am resonably well informed on the subject ... isn't the bug-a-boos that might happen (although a Meltdown is enough to scare the crap out of anyone), since as another poster stated, nukes are cleaner than most (although properly done, Hydro and Wind power are infinately "cleaner" than nukes). The problem *I* have comes after that power is made...the nuclear waste that is going to be blasting out alpha and beta radiation for the next million years! Almost every nuke in the world has already exceeded the containment space they have available in their water tanks, and many or most have had to start storing sealed casks of highly radioactive material externally on-site. Some strategically placed high explosives, and that is one REALLY nasty dirty bomb... Then ... do YOU want to live next to a nuke in an Earthquake zone? As for fusion...I agree, it could be a Godsend...but at the same time, until we can perfect Cold Fusion, the idea of a Tomahawk reactor in my neighbourhood is not one that sends me goosbumps, more like chills down the spine. After all, you're talking about an explosive (although reasonably stable) element being heated to thousands of degrees. While the risk of radiation, while present, is miniscule compared to a fission reactor, a runaway could cause as many problems as a runaway fission reactor, even if of a different nature (after all, the tomahawk is a high-pressure and VERY high-temperature device). I've heard of volcanic eruptions doing less damage! :D Good Luck!

Answer 2

All it takes is one mistake and you have a vast wasteland, like Chernobyl in Russia.

Answer 3

There are several reasons I believe people are scared of nuclear power:

1. Nuclear explosions/bombs are linked in peoples minds to nuclear power plants, even though it is physically impossible for a nuclear reactor to have a nuclear detonation. If people thought of napalm every time they filled their car with gasoline we would probably have no combustion engine automobiles.

2. People do not understand how nuclear power plants operate and people fear the unknown. If we did a better job explaining the basics of nuclear power, in simple language, fewer people would be afraid.

3. People believe nuclear power is not "natural" and as such dangerous. They are unaware of the naturally occurring reactor that was discovered to have been in operation underground in South Africa thousands of years ago.

4. Activists have been fear mongering to dupe people out of their hard earned money for decades. They have made their living on perpetuating the fear.

5. People believe that nuclear power plants are not 100% safe, and they are right, nothing is 100% safe. Di-hydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) is objectively one of the deadliest substances known to man, but to ban it is sheer idiocy. Nuclear power is however one of the safest technologies ever used to produce electricity, which has saved countless lives preventing lung disease, hypothermia, and provided a standard of living better than any in history. There has to be a risk/benefit analysis with nuclear power, like DHMO, the benefit far outweighs the risk.