NUCLEAR POWER

Nuclear power is a method of creating energy discovered in 1951 by an Italian physicist named Enrico Fermi. It is a zero emission energy source in which nuclear fission is used to boil water. This water then turns into steam which spins a turbine, then a generator transfers that energy into electricity. This is very similar to how we use coal and oil but in a way that is much healthier for our environment. So if nuclear energy is so great why isn't it being utilized on a larger scale? 

A lot of people think that nuclear power is extremely dangerous, and there is some truth to that, but nuclear power is about as dangerous as wind and 99.8% less dangerous than coal. Although nuclear power can be a great source of energy and is far safer than coal and oil in terms of direct fatalities, it can also aid the process of creating nuclear weapons due to nuclear waste (a product from the plant) being a necessary component. This poses obvious issues for safety and security on a larger scale. A different concern is the risk of a nuclear meltdown disaster like what happened in Chernobyl. While this does pose a significant radiation risk to the surrounding land, if placed smartly and monitored well this risk can be mitigated and the consequences softened.

A major role in the lack of nuclear power is public perception; when nuclear energy was discovered, people assumed it would change the world but over the years seven major nuclear disasters caused hesitation and amplified the fear caused by the Hiroshima bombing.  On top of all that, nuclear energy is not a renewable energy source because it uses uranium to trigger nuclear fission, which brings up potential issues in the distant future.

Nuclear power isn't all bad though. As I mentioned before, nuclear power, in terms of direct fatalities, is by far safer than both coal and oil. It is also a clean source of energy meaning it doesn't produce greenhouse gasses in exchange for energy.  Nuclear power is also an on demand source of energy, so, unlike wind and solar, nuclear doesn't rely on it being sunny or windy.

Nuclear power has many pros and cons but it really isn't an end all be all situation. Although it is a far better option than coal and oil, diversity between nuclear, wind, hydro, and solar is an important thing, and putting all of our eggs in one basket is certainly not the solution.