What makes nuclear energy so beneficial yet so dangerous?

Answer 1

Because a lot of it is highly radioactive and very dangerous to living beings.

The issue is that it will remain dangerous for a very long time. So long that most countries will probably no longer exist and it will still be deadly. The idea that we may be leaving something that will kill for thousands of years laying around for generations yet unknown to care for is somewhat scary.

Answer 2

There is an enormous amount of energy released in a nuclear reaction either Fusion or Fission. Fusion is what occurs in the sun where say two Hydrogen atoms combine to form Helium. The EU is experimenting with a Fusion Reactor called Tokamak. Fission is what occurs when chemical energy is released as a compound decays. This is the form of nuclear energy used in nuclear reactors today throughout the world and atomic weapons.

Answer 3

useful: Lots of power, will need less nuclear plants than oil/coal/renewable (less plants in turn make each plant retrospectivly richer and safer).

Dangerous: nuclear waste takes 150 years to become safe and we haven't tested it for that long. Rich countries bury it in 20m of concrete, poor dump it in the middle of the ocean, and the long term effects of either of these are not know. But the latter isn't the problm of nuclear energy but of safety standards of poor countries. Currently burying in concrete seems to work.

Answer 4

Nuclear energy is beneficial because it produces large amounts of energy with lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels. However, it is also dangerous due to the potential for accidents like meltdowns and the long-lasting radioactive waste that must be safely managed. The dual nature of nuclear energy requires strict safety protocols and regulatory oversight to mitigate risks.