ANS Nuclear Cafe

The ANS Nuclear Cafe is a blog owned and edited by the American Nuclear Society. Information contained on the ANS Nuclear Cafe has been provided by numerous sources. Therefore, the American Nuclear Society assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of information contained herein. DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in posted articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Nuclear Society. The views expressed here are those of the individual authors. ANS takes no ownership of their views. The American Nuclear Society assumes no responsibility or liability for any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained on this site.


Radiation in Daily Life

August 28, 2017, 6:04AMANS Nuclear CafeDr. P. Andrew Karam

People are bad at evaluating risks-especially from artificial, exotic, or invisible sources. When it comes to radiation, most people are not only bad at evaluating risks, but can be irrational to the point of being phobic about them. Interestingly, many of those who are frightened of radiation do understand that it's part of the environment-they're just scared of artificial radiation, mistakenly thinking that it's somehow different from natural radiation. One of my colleagues at the Ohio Department of Health took a phone call from a worried citizen in the early 1990s and tried to explain that the radiation exposure they were concerned about (from Ohio's uranium enrichment plant) was actually less than the radiation from a cross-country flight. "Yeah, but that's that good cosmetic radiation" was the caller's answer, to which my colleague simply replied with a sigh.

Now is the Time to Build, Not Close Nuclear Power Plants

August 22, 2017, 11:10AMANS Nuclear CafePeter Hill-Ricciuti

The next few years mark a turning point for commercial nuclear power in the United States, because after that there will be only a decade until 2030. That is when some fraction of the nation's aging nuclear fleet built in the 1970s and 1980s is expected be decommissioned when renewed licenses run out. Nuclear plants in the United States originally were given 40-year licenses and most have been renewed, and those expire in the 2030-2050 time range. Of course, this also assumes some plants cannot attain a second license renewal. If construction of new reactor units is not started soon, the existing plants could be shuttered before any new units come online. That is based on the 15-year construction timeline it takes for new nuclear construction in the U.S. This will have the unfortunate impact of leaving the nation without some of its reliable, clean, base-load energy that the country has relied on to provide 20-30 percent of its electrical generating capacity for the past 40 years.

Interchangeable But Not Identical - For Now

August 16, 2017, 5:48PMANS Nuclear CafeWill Davis

Imagine you've walked into a restaurant and are at the counter to order. You notice, but think nothing of the fact, that there appears to be two order windows and possibly two separate kitchens. You order a cheeseburger, expecting American cheese and ketchup (among other things), but what you get has mustard and Swiss. When you make a comment about it, you're told that "cheese is cheese" and nothing more is said. Two items-mustard and Swiss-weren't ordered, but one was-a cheeseburger-and so you eat it.

Submit Your Nomination for the Darlene Schmidt Science News Award

August 2, 2017, 5:07PMANS Nuclear CafeDaniel Carleton

Do you know of a science journalist whose writing stands out in capturing your interest? This year, the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Communications Committee is launching the Darlene Schmidt Science News Award named for one of ANS's most dedicated and beloved employees from the 1980s to the early '90s. The purpose of this award is to acknowledge journalists and reporters who provide accurate, innovative, and well-researched science coverage for the general public. Being able to effectively communicate scientific ideas and the merits of nuclear energy to the general public is vital to the success of ANS. To encourage accurate scientific journalism, this award will acknowledge a writer who embodies these important characteristics.

July 1959: Savannah Afloat!

July 31, 2017, 11:00AMANS Nuclear Cafe

NS Savannah AtomThe last half of the 1950s was a time of great promise for the concept of atomic-powered commercial ships. The idea was given real political momentum (which it very much needed) in 1955 when President Eisenhower formally proposed construction of such a ship by the United States. In July 1956, Congress passed Public Law 848, authorizing the actual engineering and construction of the ship.

The New Great Compromise: Nuclear Energy’s Broad Appeal

July 11, 2017, 5:21PMANS Nuclear CafeDoug Hardtmayer

Whenever I turn on the news and hear how America should generate its electric power, hardly any "expert" cites nuclear energy. Energy discussions are especially prominent now, since the United States decided to pull out of the Paris climate agreement. What is so striking to me is that nuclear is almost never talked about, and when it is, it's normally an afterthought to other sources of energy. America's largest source of clean power is nuclear, which makes up roughly 20 percent of all power generation, and it should take a more prominent role. This got me wondering, why isn't nuclear talked about more as a solution? As a nuclear engineer, my opinion, albeit a bit biased, is that we need nuclear energy in our energy mix.

Belief in Science Trumps Global Deals

June 23, 2017, 2:51PMANS Nuclear CafePriyarshini Ghosh

Science hasn't always been his strongest suit, but he has grown up to be a businessman who, despite his lack of diplomatic conduct, has managed to successfully negotiate the most challenging deal of all- becoming president of the largest economy in the world. Why then, is this businessman's decision to pull out of an environment deal met with harsh criticism and distrust?

South Korea Reverses Course

June 21, 2017, 3:45PMANS Nuclear Cafe

In a stunning but not wholly unexpected move, newly elected South Korean president Moon Jae-In announced during a ceremony marking the final shutdown of Kori Unit 1 that future nuclear power plants in South Korea will be cancelled and that the country will begin to shift toward renewables for its future energy needs-backed by natural gas.