Nuclear

I think it could be part of our energy future since it emits less CO2.

One thing I worry about is the spent uranium since it needs to be stored in special containers for thousands of years (I think that's right). I think there are different nuclear technologies that don't require this though. Still the technology as a whole seems unstable to me.

 

Definitely agree. We need to find clean energy sources, but we also need to find a solution that isn't keeping radioactive waste around.

 

As a former DoD 2W2, I feel that nuclear technology is clean...however the weaponry I worked on is honestly appalling

and yes I regret it

 

When it's properly managed, it's an excellent source of energy. However, the main issue, presently, is getting rid of the waste material.

 

Nuclear energy? I'm fine with it in the meantime. Better than coal, not as good as renewable sources (uranium mines aren't exactly environmentally friendly, nor is waste) The disposal of waste needs to be very carefully managed, which is harder than coal or renewables.

Weaponry? Evil, despicable, and I hope anyone who supports it (usually someone pretty fortunately placed in a nuclear nation) opens their eyes to how disgusting it is.

 

I agree here. Nuclear weapons were used decisively once, but even then it was an almost unforgivable atrocity. The only factors that made it somewhat alright were that they hit us first, and that they were warned.* But I believe the era of nukes has gone, because they are nothing but Hell brought to earth.

Nuclear power? I'm all for it assuming we can properly deal with the waste, and we may find a better way of producing power than fission. It is an aging technology and I yearn for the day when we can break even on fusion reactors.

*I don't know the full history behind Pearl Harbor or the usage of the bombs, so if anyone has issue with my statement, wall comment or PM me. I'd like to hear more of the story.

 

I support the weaponry only in the case of massive cureless killer disease outbreaks. Otherwise nope.

Energy? All for it.

Energy weapons powered by nuclear reactors? Only if the ones holding it know what they are doing, and will only use it as a scare tactic.

 

As a physics grad, the word nuclear makes me think of the physical principal of atomic and sub atomic physics, chemistry and all it's applications.

Although the most common themes thought of are nuclear energy and weaponry, you should also stop to think about the many other applications of nuclear science such as MRI scanning and nuclear medicine as well as astrophysics and cosmology to name but a few...

Happy days

 

You lost me in the first paragraph RB

When I hear the word nuclear I always think of weaponry first and energy second. I have pricipled objections to both.

I think we need educating in the positive applications (but you'd have to seriously dumb it down for me to understand).

 

^^What Radioactive is talking about is the fact that "nuclear" means basically "of or relating to a nucleus" in this case the one in atoms.

I took the thread to be about using the energy that can be extracted from them though hehe.

 

Do you mean you don't know what I'm talking about? Because I would enjoy discussing atomic theory. (!)

A little light reading on Wiki:
Atom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The common "solar system" picture most people have of a cluster of particles in the middle (nucleus) with distinct electron orbits is outdated now, but otherwise pretty functional. If you try to understand electron clouds right away it might do your head in because it brushes up against quantum mechanics. o.0

As far as fission is concerned: When an atom of some element with a heavy enough nucleus is broken apart by hitting it with a neutron, it releases energy, plus a few of its own neutrons that go and break other nuclei in a chain reaction. First scientists just used this to make a big boom (The Manhattan Project) but after that they could do it in a controlled way to heat water into steam to power generators. It works really well and does not pollute the environment, except that the stuff leftover after the reaction is extremely dangerous and has to be shielded/locked away for thousands of years. That's the main problem we've got with nuclear power as far as engineering (and my grasp of the issue) is concerned.

I hope I'm not threadjacking with my pedantry stop me if I am.

 

OMG :eek:

 

Well, the first thing that comes to mind is that the word "nuclear" sometimes trips me up a la Bush :lol:. It is an evil little word to pronounce, haha.

On nuclear power, I believe that it is a wonderful natural phenomenon that should be explored and researched for peaceful applications, be they for medical, energetic, or other peaceable research.

On nuclear weapons, I feel that at this point, they are a necessary evil because no nation in the Security Council will renounce its atomic weapons. As it stands, nuclear weapons in the hands of a few countries should be OK provided that rational individuals have command and control. If nuclear weapon authorization is left on the field, well, that's when things can get dicey.

The use of nuclear weapons is an act against humanity; that said, I am not as evolved and believe in tit for tat (well, tit for tat PLUS interest :lol. Unfortunately, we live in a more fragmented world where the biggest threat against the interests of the United States comes from non-state actors (sometimes working with rogue states) and where previous theories such as mutually assured destruction don't serve as a deterrent in those circumstances.

 

Im scared of nuclear things because they can explode >.<

 

Hmm. I'm against nuclear weapons, though that's hardly surprising. In regards to power, its a more complex issue. I would generally come down against, on the grounds of the risks of leaks and meltdowns. However, I'm willing to accept nuclear as transitions are made to cleaner and safer forms of energy.

What is crucial, though, it the realm of energy use, is that we cannot just keep increasing the amount we use. We need to find a balance.

 

Well for starters – In the beginning of nuclear technology and research the first splitting of the atom occurred in 1919 in Manchester close to Manchester’s Gay Village Details

Over the years I have been involved with nuclear technology in many different ways, some deadly serious and some fun (skip to 2nd to last paragraph).

• Employment: For 10 years I designed very sensitive gamma-ray detectors used in geophysical exploration in the mining business and regularly handled and was around radioactive sources. With proper handling and safety precautions and regular blood tests for radiation poisoning I was not concerned by, or harmed by radiation. I draw an analogy with HIV and radiation, if you take proper safety measures i.e. safer sex, don’t mess with drugs that interfere with your decision making ability, and get regular health checks every year then you’ll be ok.
  
  
• Health: I have experienced the health benefits from nuclear technology in the form of many MRI scans (that don’t use radiation) and a few CT scans (that did use a very small amount of radiation, an amount equivalent to living for 1 year in an area where the rock in the ground was slightly radioactive). I have also drunk radioactive liquid as part of a medical diagnostic test, the amount was very small and I did not feel at any long term risk even though I was radioactive for a while. P.S. one of my favourite songs is Radioactive by Imagine Dragons.
  
  
• Nuclear Power: I am in favour of Nuclear Power even though it has risks. The world’s first Commercial Nuclear Power station was Calder Hall built in England in 1956 and based on nuclear fission that creates radioactive waste. I recall as a kid watching a news program about the UKs North Sea Oil and being told that the oil would not last forever but would give the UK time and money to develop its Nuclear Power technology. What happened: the UK squandered the money and now we have to buy our nuclear technology from other countries when once we led the world in nuclear technology.
  
  I think that nuclear power stations should be built deep underground so that they are out of sight, out of reach of terrorists, any waste they produce is already buried, and if they have an accident the risk of polluting the environment is significantly reduced.
  
  I am looking forward to a time, in the next 30 years, when our scientists have made Nuclear Fusion work and will be able to power a whole city with just a bucket of water without producing huge amounts of dangerous radioactive waste.
  
  One final note: Did you know coal fired power stations pump more radioactive waste into the environment from the ash they produce than a nuclear power station operating normally! How do I know this? Because the very sensitive radiation sensors I used to design were also used to measure the radiation in the smoke coming from coal power stations.
  
  
• Nuclear War: Something I used to think a lot about because for 11 years up to the end of the cold war I was in the RAF in an organisation whose role was to deal with nuclear war and its aftermath. I used to work in an underground bunker and rehearse for the end of the world as we know it and have experienced many simulated nuclear attacks.
  
  During this time one of the most interesting yet disturbing training sessions was a lecture from a British prisoner of war who was in Nagasaki close to ground zero when the bomb went off. He was fortunate to have been assigned the task of building an air raid shelter for the Japanese workers and was inside the structure the moment the bomb detonated. His first hand harrowing description of the explosion and immediate aftermath is the closest I ever hope to come to nuclear war.
  
  I have included some facts from public record that you may not be aware of.
  
  [*]Today around 17,300 nukes exist 4,100 are active Details
  [*]Since nukes were invented there have been 2474 nuclear test explosions many above ground Details
  [*]The two bombs dropped on Japan in WW2 killed 246,000 Details
  [*]Since WW2 the closest we have come to nuclear war has been
  

  
  [*] Cuban missile crisis in October 1962 Details
  [*] Able Archer War Game in November 1983 Details
  [*] Black Brant Scare January 25th 1995 Details
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  Of the 3 listed above the one that scares the shit out of me the most is Able Archer where the Russians thought the war game was for real. I was one of those playing the war game in a bunker, it was my first experience of a simulated end of the world and 30 years later I still recall the terrible feeling I had when the attack message came through on the teleprinter. That feeling turned to sickness when I found out the Russians were getting ready to strike back for real.
  
  Just for perspective since Nuclear Weapons have existed Cigarettes have killed 63,000,000 Details bottom of Page 8
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TLDR:

To end on a happier note: Without nuclear technology and research, atomic clocks would not exist. Without Atomic Clocks GPS and GSM Cell phones would not exist. Without GPS and Cell phones our favourite location based smart phone gay guy hook up apps would not exist.

Nuclear research touches all aspects of our modern life so don’t worry about it, get excited about it and get a job working in it, it’s fascinating.​

Sale Gay Guy

 

Judgement day pops into my mind. I don't really have much faith in humanity. I just hope that day will be some time when I won't be around anymore. I guess that's why I'm actually glad I turned out to be gay because I won't have a child to worry about.