Lol. Most likely a true fact, but more people have been killed by paper cuts than have been incinerated in the sun too. It turns out the average person spends much more time around or on roofs than around or in nuclear reactors.
There also happen to be at least 4 more buildings with solar panels in the world than nuclear reactors. I don’t have exact numbers but I believe there are probably even 7 or 8 more buildings with solar panels than nuclear reactors- at least.
So- I am an advocate that we use nuclear power as part of a sensible and well thought out power grid- coupled with more efficient technology and ultimately changes to society and lifestyle towards better sustainability and scalability long term as a species. That said- 3 mile island, Chernobyl, Fukushima, both Tokaimura incidents, there are many more from around the world and that is only nuclear reactor incidents- NOT any related incidents and issues like in the mining, processing, transport, disposal, or other areas of nuclear energy. It is also worth noting that the technology to build and run nuclear facilities runs parallel to the technology to build nuclear or radiological weapons. When you factor in exposure incidents from other nuclear materials sources we still aren’t looking at some massive death toll- but we also can’t accurately quantify the long term health effects and mortality of various exposures to nuclear wastes and products of nuclear accidents.
The overarching point there is that it is an oversimplification to say nuclear power is bad- or anymore than most other technologies from telecommunications like the internet or television to internal combustion engines or manned flight or digital computers or any number of technologies that carry dangers and risks or consequences to nature or society. It is however also an oversimplification to say that nuclear power is perfectly safe when free of yes men or party thinking or when managed properly. We have all heard “guns don’t kill people, people kill people…” so then- why can’t we all have rocket launchers and our own nuclear weapons? If people are responsible and prudent there would be no issues. Why do doors and cars and so many things require keys? Saying that if the right people manage it nuclear power is safe is like saying it is safe to give your social security number or bank password out to 1000 people as long as they are all honest. If it were so easy to find trust-
Why are there so many divorces and break ups? Why do so many top secret government agencies end up with spies? We find lead in our toys and food, airplanes crash due to poor maintenance or cost cutting, postal services can’t even deliver every package on time and undamaged and that is their main job. No one is perfect. No system is perfect. Planning something as complex and potentially dangerous as a nuclear power grid on a concept of the honor system is poor design. Everything has margin of error or it’s a gamble.
And trusting the rich to do the right thing? Musk threw a bitch fit and moved to Texas because the state he was in said he had to follow mandated safety practices for his employees, and so he didn’t have to pay taxes or offer the same benefits to workers. Most filthy rich people would sell your organs in your sleep if they could get away with it and the profits were good.
Just about the only way you might hood to have some “honor system” is if you forced the owners to live in standard construction homes without radiation hardening right next to their own plants with their families and spend most of their time there. Even then it’s questionable.
Good people will do good because it is their nature and don’t need an audience or to be told generally. For the rest we have laws, regulations, and oversight. The people with the money who these regulators and laws are supposed to force to behave are often the ones with substantial control over those things. These challenges are not insurmountable nor should they “kill” nuclear energy, but we do need to have respect for both the awesome power and long lasting consequences nuclear energy can have, and be prudent and demand every possible and conceivable safeguard with an eye towards long term consequences and planning before we start going nuclear power crazy.
There also happen to be at least 4 more buildings with solar panels in the world than nuclear reactors. I don’t have exact numbers but I believe there are probably even 7 or 8 more buildings with solar panels than nuclear reactors- at least.
And trusting the rich to do the right thing? Musk threw a bitch fit and moved to Texas because the state he was in said he had to follow mandated safety practices for his employees, and so he didn’t have to pay taxes or offer the same benefits to workers. Most filthy rich people would sell your organs in your sleep if they could get away with it and the profits were good.
Good people will do good because it is their nature and don’t need an audience or to be told generally. For the rest we have laws, regulations, and oversight. The people with the money who these regulators and laws are supposed to force to behave are often the ones with substantial control over those things. These challenges are not insurmountable nor should they “kill” nuclear energy, but we do need to have respect for both the awesome power and long lasting consequences nuclear energy can have, and be prudent and demand every possible and conceivable safeguard with an eye towards long term consequences and planning before we start going nuclear power crazy.