What with climate change progressing at a rapid pace, there are many who say we should quit using nuclear power

Mar 27, 2015 16:50 GMT  ·  By
Some say nuclear power is the key to limiting climate change and global warming
   Some say nuclear power is the key to limiting climate change and global warming

There are still some people who claim that it's all mumbo-jumbo, but the fact of the matter is that both climate change and global warming are as real as it gets, not to mention that they are progressing at a rapid pace.

Some say that, to halt these phenomena, it would be wise to develop the world's nuclear industry, seeing how this energy source produces less pollution than coal or other fossil fuels.

Others disagree and argue that, as proven by the Chernobyl and the Fukushima incidents, nuclear plants can turn out to be some of the most destructive things ever known to mankind and the planet.

Well, as it turns out, both those who are in favor of nuclear power and those who are against it make sense. When compared to fossil fuels, this energy source is in fact cleaner, even more affordable.

Nuclear plants generate power by harvesting the energy released during nuclear fission reactions. This energy is used to heat water, which is eventually turned into Steam and serves to drive generators.

It all sounds pretty basic, but the truth is that, at least for the time being, nuclear power is a pretty tricky energy source to control. Simply put, there is always the risk an accident might happen.

These days, nuclear plants account for about 10% of the total energy used on a global scale. Several others are under construction, so it looks like we're not ready to give up on this energy source just yet.