I still remember learning that and about breeder reactors (they produce fissile material from common isotopes) and feeling so betrayed by the common zeitgeist
Indeed, nuclear is among the safest and cleanest forms of energy currently available to us! All the waste in the world for life barely fills a few football fields’ worth of space, if I recall correctly.
That’s only true now because for decades, the UK called it Soccer from a shortening of Association Football to separate it from “Rugger” or Rugby Football.
Now, Rugby has dropped the “football” and soccer is now only an American term because the brits decided to stop using the term THEY coined.
But surely you’d agree that we have more than enough space for even lifetime storage, no? Compare that to the junk emitted from nearly everything else. What is your proposed alternative?
Nuclear waste can be reprocessed and reused. France has been doing it for decades. Or you could reuse it in a thorium reactor, which needs less reprocessing.
Another thing people forget about is that nuclear power is the main source for tritium, which we have a shortage of and it’s getting worse as more nuclear plants are decommissioned. Tritium has a lot of uses, but it’s most noteworthy use is fuel for fusion power. If decommission all nuclear plants, fusion research is effectively dead in the water
Well nuclear power plants create something more useful than ai data centers, nuclear waste.
Hell, some of the more modern designs barely produce that…
I still remember learning that and about breeder reactors (they produce fissile material from common isotopes) and feeling so betrayed by the common zeitgeist
Indeed, nuclear is among the safest and cleanest forms of energy currently available to us! All the waste in the world for life barely fills a few football fields’ worth of space, if I recall correctly.
One football field 10 meters high to be precise.
You’re mixing US and metric measurement systems there. You should either stick to meters or come up with a sports analogy for the height.
11.574 standard National Baseball League baseball bats high
One futball field 10 meters high to be precise.
FTFY
What if their from the parts of the world that call “soccer” football and also use metric? Which is basically everyone.
That’s only true now because for decades, the UK called it Soccer from a shortening of Association Football to separate it from “Rugger” or Rugby Football.
Now, Rugby has dropped the “football” and soccer is now only an American term because the brits decided to stop using the term THEY coined.
I knew it was something around there, thanks!
The issue with waste is not the volume but the duration.
But surely you’d agree that we have more than enough space for even lifetime storage, no? Compare that to the junk emitted from nearly everything else. What is your proposed alternative?
Space is not a problem in. The issue is finding a safe place. And the timescale is so huge that it is very difficult to manage.
Non-fissile material goes in, nuclear power comes out. Can’t explain that.
What’s the point then?!
Nuclear waste can be reprocessed and reused. France has been doing it for decades. Or you could reuse it in a thorium reactor, which needs less reprocessing.
Another thing people forget about is that nuclear power is the main source for tritium, which we have a shortage of and it’s getting worse as more nuclear plants are decommissioned. Tritium has a lot of uses, but it’s most noteworthy use is fuel for fusion power. If decommission all nuclear plants, fusion research is effectively dead in the water
Some groups have started to extract materials from nuclear waste that can provide Targeted Alpha Therapy for cancer patients, so very true.
Electricity too
Loads depleted uranium rounds with militaristic intent
That you can use for gardening https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_gardening
Much of which can be used in hospitals for life saving medical uses! Double dunk on AI failures.
Masterful comment delivery, kudos
Came here to say that one gives and the other one takes.