Term 2 Week 4 (Weekend Assignment)

Does nuclear energy still have a part to play in the world?

With the increased technological advances in the past 50 years, nuclear energy, although extremely dangerous and destructive, has played a very crucial role in meeting the ever-increasing energy demands of this world and its continual development. Nuclear energy, if used properly and safely for good causes, can serve many useful purposes and bring great benefits to mankind.

Nuclear energy

Chernobyl had experienced the dark side of nuclear energy in 1986. An explosion and fire released large quantities of radioactive contamination into the atmosphere, which spread over much of Western Russia and Europe. It was considered the worst case in history at that time. 25 years later, Japan experienced the same fate of a nuclear meltdown after being rocked by an earthquake followed by a tsunami. These were two rare and unforeseen incidents, the former caused by a sudden power surge; the latter caused by natural disasters. This, however, should not be the case for man to stop developing nuclear energy. In fact, it is imperative in this modern era.

The process to generate nuclear energy is one of the cleanest, and makes the lowest impact on the environment. Nuclear plants do not emit any harmful gases which are usually produced by the conventional electricity power plants that threaten the atmosphere by increasing global warming. They require little space for the energy production, thus conserving land and habitats. It also does not contaminate water sources. The water discharged from nuclear power plants is very safe, free of any radiation or harmful pollutants, and meets all regulatory standards. Hence, this helps in protecting the aquatic life and conserving wildlife. An utmost importance of nuclear energy, is reliability. The energy is not affected by external conditions, unpredictable costs or foreign supplies. Its a reliable source of energy even during extreme weather changes. Nuclear energy requires very little quantity of fuel to produce large quantities of energy. By using it, man can also reduce the dependence on fossil fuels.

One major on-going advancement of the use on nuclear energy is Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), that helps in large scale food irrigation and biological control of pests. Nuclear energy can also be used for food and agriculture via the use of isotopes and radiation techniques. Leading organizations have been working on the technology to increase agricultural production, improve food availability and quality, reduce production costs and minimize pollution of food crop. A very common application of nuclear energy, is in the treatment of cancer - radiotherapy. Also, small amounts of radioisotope tracers are used for diagnostic and research purposes. These techniques have helped in monitoring the levels of toxic substances in food, air and water. Nuclear energy can also be used in industries for processing and sterilization of various products by means of radiation.

In conclusion, nuclear energy has many benefits, such as high performance, energy supply reliability, ensuring environmental safety and conserving resources. Nuclear energy can be used for food and agriculture, and also human health. Man should not waste this valuable resource just because of the dangers involved. However, it is up to them to either use it carefully or abuse it for war or terrorism. With proper use and security, nuclear energy will surely be the fuel source for the 21st century.