Difference between revisions of "Nuclear Energy"
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== History == | == History == | ||
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During World War II, the Manhattan Project was undertaken by the world's leading scientists in order to develop Nuclear Weapons using Uranium-235. When it was finally completed, they proved to be the most destructive weapons in human history up to that point, as evidenced by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which hastened the end of the war. This brought along the Cold War, where the both the United States and Soviet Union, the worlds two superpowers, where both sides were creating thousands upon thousands of nuclear weapons in order to not be bombed first. | During World War II, the Manhattan Project was undertaken by the world's leading scientists in order to develop Nuclear Weapons using Uranium-235. When it was finally completed, they proved to be the most destructive weapons in human history up to that point, as evidenced by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which hastened the end of the war. This brought along the Cold War, where the both the United States and Soviet Union, the worlds two superpowers, where both sides were creating thousands upon thousands of nuclear weapons in order to not be bombed first. | ||
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The Nuclear Energy Act of 1946, signed into law by President Harry S. Truman, along with allowing civilian control over the development of Nuclear Weapons, gave civilian control over the management of Nuclear Energy, meaning that Nuclear Energy plants could be privately owned, rather than managed by the government. This was reversed by future President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who called for federal control over Nuclear Energy in his "Atoms for Peace" program. Eisenhower saw the promise of this new energy, and he addressed this in a speech to the United Nations, in order to convince them that good can come from these new discoveries, as he wanted to ensure that Nuclear Energy had a place in the future of energy. | The Nuclear Energy Act of 1946, signed into law by President Harry S. Truman, along with allowing civilian control over the development of Nuclear Weapons, gave civilian control over the management of Nuclear Energy, meaning that Nuclear Energy plants could be privately owned, rather than managed by the government. This was reversed by future President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who called for federal control over Nuclear Energy in his "Atoms for Peace" program. Eisenhower saw the promise of this new energy, and he addressed this in a speech to the United Nations, in order to convince them that good can come from these new discoveries, as he wanted to ensure that Nuclear Energy had a place in the future of energy. | ||
| − | Moving over to the other world power, the Soviet Union was the first country to successfully able to derive power from a Nuclear Energy plant ( Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant) | + | Moving over to the other world power, the Soviet Union was the first country to successfully able to derive power from a Nuclear Energy plant (The Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant) and give it to consumers in 1954. This early version of a Nuclear Reactor is very different from modern reactors; it used a greater amount of Uranium, and didn't produce an impressive amount of energy. While they weren't busy building Nuclear Weapons to deter the Americans, the Soviets were constantly innovating new Nuclear Reactors in order to increase the effectiveness. |
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| + | Over in the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNu8XDBSn10 United Kingdom], they have built the first Commercial Nuclear Energy Station, Calder Hall. It proved to be more effective than the Soviet's Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant, and was in use for nearly 50 years. | ||
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| + | '''Nuclear Accidents''' | ||
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| + | A common concern among people when it comes to Nuclear Energy is the possible event of a nuclear accident, and will often cite the Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Three-Mile-Island accidents. We'll discuss each of these incidents one by one. | ||
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| + | Let's start with the most infamous example of Nuclear Energy supposedly going wrong; Chernobyl. It's obvious that most people aren't aware of the context within the situation, since it was probably the most exaggerated energy incident until the BP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill in 2010. | ||
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| + | Firstly, the explosion. As you can see in the picture, the explosion was only big enough to destroy the building that held the nuclear reactor, so we can rule out the idea that it caused a nuclear explosion akin to the bombings of Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Secondly,there's the argument that many people got cancer from the debris that was spread as a result of the explosion. It's important to note that most of the cancer cases came from people who were drinking milk from cows, who were eating grass contaminated with radioactivity from the debris (yet another reason to stop drinking cow's milk) in the general area. Overall, only about fifty or so individuals died from the disaster, and | ||
== Science == | == Science == | ||
Revision as of 03:27, 22 August 2018
One of the main reasons for going vegan, aside from ethical and health concerns, is environmental concern. Factory farms are likely the most harmful thing for the environment right now, and meat consumption just helps it along. Veganism is (obviously) the most effective measure in order to counteract this, making veganism one of the most important actions to take to save our planet.
However, as important as Veganism is, there is another very, very, very, very, very, very important solution in order to help the Earth, and veganism would do nothing without it; Nuclear Energy.
Nuclear Energy, as important and great as it is (as you will see by the end of this article), is unfortunately opposed by many in the Vegan community, which incidentally undoes all of the environmental good veganism does. To any meat-eater who is pro-nuclear energy, Vegans may come across as at best hypocrites, for denying one of the most environmentally friendly energies available, and dogmatic at worst, appearing to be anti-science loons who are scared of anything with the term 'Nuclear' in it.
In this article, we will be discussing the cost, safeness, cleanliness, efficacy, and sustainability, along with the general Science and History behind it, and its role in Politics. We will also be comparing it to other forms of energy within the aforementioned criteria.
Contents
History
During World War II, the Manhattan Project was undertaken by the world's leading scientists in order to develop Nuclear Weapons using Uranium-235. When it was finally completed, they proved to be the most destructive weapons in human history up to that point, as evidenced by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which hastened the end of the war. This brought along the Cold War, where the both the United States and Soviet Union, the worlds two superpowers, where both sides were creating thousands upon thousands of nuclear weapons in order to not be bombed first.
However, the Cold War was not the only thing to come out of the end of World War II; New advances and discoveries in Uranium brought upon the Atomic Age, where we were able to harness the power of nuclear energy, and take advantage of its effectiveness over other energies. It was the strangely amazing and humanity-saving discovery which was derived from a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth.
The Nuclear Energy Act of 1946, signed into law by President Harry S. Truman, along with allowing civilian control over the development of Nuclear Weapons, gave civilian control over the management of Nuclear Energy, meaning that Nuclear Energy plants could be privately owned, rather than managed by the government. This was reversed by future President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who called for federal control over Nuclear Energy in his "Atoms for Peace" program. Eisenhower saw the promise of this new energy, and he addressed this in a speech to the United Nations, in order to convince them that good can come from these new discoveries, as he wanted to ensure that Nuclear Energy had a place in the future of energy.
Moving over to the other world power, the Soviet Union was the first country to successfully able to derive power from a Nuclear Energy plant (The Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant) and give it to consumers in 1954. This early version of a Nuclear Reactor is very different from modern reactors; it used a greater amount of Uranium, and didn't produce an impressive amount of energy. While they weren't busy building Nuclear Weapons to deter the Americans, the Soviets were constantly innovating new Nuclear Reactors in order to increase the effectiveness.
Over in the United Kingdom, they have built the first Commercial Nuclear Energy Station, Calder Hall. It proved to be more effective than the Soviet's Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant, and was in use for nearly 50 years.
Nuclear Accidents
A common concern among people when it comes to Nuclear Energy is the possible event of a nuclear accident, and will often cite the Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Three-Mile-Island accidents. We'll discuss each of these incidents one by one.
Let's start with the most infamous example of Nuclear Energy supposedly going wrong; Chernobyl. It's obvious that most people aren't aware of the context within the situation, since it was probably the most exaggerated energy incident until the BP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill in 2010.
Firstly, the explosion. As you can see in the picture, the explosion was only big enough to destroy the building that held the nuclear reactor, so we can rule out the idea that it caused a nuclear explosion akin to the bombings of Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Secondly,there's the argument that many people got cancer from the debris that was spread as a result of the explosion. It's important to note that most of the cancer cases came from people who were drinking milk from cows, who were eating grass contaminated with radioactivity from the debris (yet another reason to stop drinking cow's milk) in the general area. Overall, only about fifty or so individuals died from the disaster, and
