RESEARCH
Featuring sources in Chicago Manual Style
Literature Review
We have reached a day and age that can be only described as digital. We have the
power of knowledge at our very own fingertips, but that doesn’t mean we know everything.
Change is happening all around us for the good and the bad reasons yielded by man, but all
change is really about is altering the outcomes. The renewable energy market has been created
upon these very own philosophies thus bringing the debate: To be or Not to be nuclear? As
simple as the answer may be, the complexity of for the end result revolves around multiple
sources that lie in the outer regions of intensive research. The nuclear industry is praised for its
sustainability in production and the evolution of technology but is a major concern in regard to
the health of the environment due to nuclear waste and the conceptions of national security.
According to data sources, roughly around forty-three percent of people hear of the concept of
nuclear energy but don’t necessarily understand the concept of what its true accomplishments
or the risks that it poses to an elaborate level, hence the basic misconceptions posed in
debates. As research was compiled, there were multiple sources that were needed to be
reviewed in order to create a true understanding of the world of Nuclear Energy. In order to
understand nuclear energy, you first understand the science behind it, its history, the politics,
and safety measures for both national security and the environment around it.
The understanding of nuclear energy comes down to the foundations of existence on
the molecular structure, hence the science. When the bond between neutrons, protons, and
electrons are broken within an atom, they emit nuclear energy1. This process is done through
nuclear fission2. All nuclear power plants thrive upon the use of nuclear fission, and most use
uranium (atoms). During the process of nuclear fission, a neutron collides with a uranium atom
and splits it, generating a large amount of energy in the form of heat and radiation. The process
repeats itself over again continuously, resulting in a nuclear chain reaction3. This reaction is
controlled in nuclear power plant reactors to produce a desired amount of heat. Nuclear energy
can also be released through the process of nuclear fusion4. In this case, atoms are combined
(or fused together) to form a new or a larger variation of the atom. Although this process
appears to be directly from mans’ creation, the process is originally derived from the natural
giants of the universe, stars5. In order to harness this type of energy, the need for advanced
1 Ferguson, Charles D. “Nuclear Energy: What Everyone Needs to Know”. Publisher Oxford; New York: Oxford
University Press. Published 2011. http://skyline.ucdenver.edu/record=b2794300~S0
2 EIA. “Nuclear Explained”. Accessed 01 April 2020. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/nuclear/
3 EIA. “Nuclear Explained”.
4 Ibid.
5 Rutledge, Kim. Ramroop, Tara. Boudreau, Diane. McDaniel, Melissa. Teng, Santani. Sprout, Erin. Costa, Hilary.
Hall, Hilary. Hunt, Jeff. “Nuclear Energy”. Publisher: National Geographic. Published 24 May 2011.
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/nuclear-energy/
technological development became the contributing factor. This became evidently clear
throughout the history of nuclear power plants.
In December of 1951, the first nuclear reactor to produce electricity was the
Experimental Breeder reactor (EBR-1) designed by Argonne National Laboratory and sited in
Idaho, USA6. In 1953, President Eisenhower proposed his "Atoms for Peace" program,
designating significant research effort towards electricity generation and thus resulting to the
development of civil nuclear energy7. In June of 1954, the Soviet Union modified its plutonium
production reactors for heat and electricity generation by the operations of FEI (The Institute of
Physics and Power Engineering)8. The USA had a virtual monopoly on uranium in the West and
as a result, the British developed a series of reactors fueled by natural uranium metal,
moderated by graphite, and gas-cooled in 1956. As the technology around the nuclear plants
began to expedite, different designs were being drafted marking the start of the first
commercial plant developed by General Electric9. In 1960, General Electric created the first
boiling water plant. These designs were later optimized by Canada, France, and the Soviet
Union four years after its introduction. However, in 1970, the nuclear power industry suffered
some decline and stagnation10. Few new reactors were produced that couldn’t match the ones
that were due for retirement. The share of nuclear in world electricity from mid 1980s
remained constant at 16-17% with uranium11 price dropped accordingly, and also because of an
increase in secondary supplies. The history of nuclear power starts with science in Europe,
blossoms in the UK and USA with the latter's technological and economic might, languishes for
a few decades, then has a new growth spurt in east Asia12. In the process, over 17,000 reactoryears
of operation have been accumulated in providing a significant proportion of the world’s
electricity13.
As the technology around the nuclear plants began to evolve, so did the politics. Ernest
J. Moniz, who is the Energy Secretary of the United States, elaborates on the robust domestic
nuclear energy industry and supply chain. In his speech to the Center for Strategic and
International Studies, he stated, “most of the recent nuclear policy discussions have focused on
sustaining the current fleet of 99 commercial nuclear reactors and the implications for carbon
emissions. While the nuclear power option does provide significant value in addressing the
climate change issue, the current focus of discussion has not addressed another significant
value of nuclear power, namely the national security imperative associated with development
6 World Nuclear Association. “History of Nuclear Energy”. Updated February 2020. https://www.worldnuclear.
org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/outline-history-of-nuclear-energy.aspx
7 World Nuclear Association. “History of Nuclear Energy”. Updated February 2020.
8 Ibid.
9 Ibid.
10 World Nuclear Association. “Nuclear Power in the World Today”. Updated March 2020. https://www.worldnuclear.
org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/nuclear-power-in-the-world-today.aspx
11 World Nuclear Association. “Nuclear Power in the World Today”. Updated March 2020.
12 Faruque, Abdullah al, “Nuclear energy regulation, risk and the environment”. Publisher New York, NY: Routledge,
2019. http://skyline.ucdenver.edu/record=b3735819~S0
13 Ibid.
and deployment of additional nuclear power facilities in the U.S. and globally14”. In other
words, Moniz conveys that the development of nuclear power is a critical factor in global
security. U.S. national security is enhanced if the public and private sectors work in tandem to
shape the global spread of nuclear energy consistent with energy security, safety,
environmental perspectives, and geopolitical stability15. The policies that are associated with
the industry correlate with the need for national security and climate awareness.
The biggest question that arises from the topic of nuclear energy, is whether it is
deemed safe (environmentally and nationally). Nuclear energy has its advantages, but also has
many disadvantages. Environmentalists are concerned about the issues of climate change
(global warming) and deem nuclear energy the same as fossil fuels. In this case, the answer is
true. Nuclear energy creates radioactive waste and to how this waste is disposed of. The
nuclear waste does appear to replace the carbon emissions that it was initially created to
replace16. Switching from coal to natural gas is a step toward decarbonizing, since burning
natural gas produces about half the carbon dioxide of burning coal. But switching from coal to
nuclear power is radically decarbonizing, since nuclear power plants release greenhouse gases
only from the ancillary use of fossil fuels during their construction, mining, fuel processing,
maintenance, and decommissioning17. Nuclear waste disposal, although a continuing political
problem in the U.S., is not any longer a technological problem18. More than 90 percent is stored
safely in an impenetrable concrete-and-steel dry cask on the grounds of operating reactors, its
radiation slowly declining19. Finland manufactured a permanent repository in granite bedrock
400 meters under Olkiluoto20, an island in the Baltic Sea off the nation’s west coast. As for
national security, it’s very critical to have a plan of action in case a natural disaster is to occur. A
recent example can be pinpointed to the Fukushima disaster. During this event, the Tohoku
earthquake and tsunami destroyed Japans nuclear reactors. Due to the safety protocols
enforced along with a prompt national response, United Nation Researches stated, “no
discernible increased incidence of radiation-related health effects are expected21”. The last
natural disaster to occur was in Chernobyl but resulted not from the science itself but from an
operators’ incompetence and faulty design22. National security in response to a disaster is part
14 Moniz, Ernest J. “The National Security Imperative for U.S. Civilian Nuclear Energy Policy”. Accessed 09 April
energy-policy
15 Moniz, Ernest J. “The National Security Imperative for U.S. Civilian Nuclear Energy Policy”.
16 Irfan, Umair. “Nuclear Power Critical to U.S. Climate Goals”. Climate Wire. Published 20 May 2016.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nuclear-power-critical-to-u-s-climate-goals/
17 Rhodes, Richard. “Why Nuclear Power Must Be Part of the Energy Solution”. Published 19 July 2018.
18 Patel, Sonal. “The Big Picture (Infographic): U.S. Nuclear Lifetimes”. Published 31 March 2020.
https://www.powermag.com/the-big-picture-infographic-u-s-nuclear-lifetimes/
19 Rhodes, Richard. “Why Nuclear Power Must Be Part of the Energy Solution”.
20 Ibid.
21 Thiel, Peter. “The New Atomic Age We Need”. New York Times. Published 27 November 2015.
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/28/opinion/the-new-atomic-age-we-need.html
22 Thiel, Peter. “The New Atomic Age We Need”.
of the solution, but it also lies internally within the plant. National security corresponds to a
well-trained domestic nuclear workforce. The people running the plant are equally crucial to
the piece of the puzzle to projected idea of sustainability.
Nuclear energy is vast concept that requires one to look from multiple perspectives in
order to understand what is happening within the nuclear industry. For an individual to
formulate an opinion on factual evidence, you first understand the science behind it, its history,
the politics, and safety measures for both the environment around it and national security.
These concepts are not easy to understand, but they are there for anyone to read. Hopefully in
the near future, anyone can grasp the understanding of nuclear energies true potential and to
quickly address the kinks that need correction and someday, we might be able to live in a
carbon-based free environment solving the issue of climate change. We can only hope, but the
choice is really up to those who take the initiative.
Rhetorical Precis
As the climate changes at an exponential rate, the need for carbon-free solutions
becomes more evident. Multiple solutions counter the events of carbon emissions such as
wind, solar, water turbines, but fail to meet the energy demands that fossil fuels would suffice.
Nuclear energy is an alternative source that can meet these demands and can benefit the
climate in the results. The problem that nuclear energy is currently facing are its perceptions
from the general public as well as government funding to improve the reactors. Most people
heard the concept of nuclear energy, but don’t necessarily comprehend the full story of what
it’s currently doing, how it’s contributing to the global markets, or what it can do better in
terms of climate or safety protocols. If the public is to formulate their conclusions, shouldn’t
they do it based on factual evidence-based on multiple sources from multiple perspectives?
There must be claims to back up both sides of the debate regarding the future of nuclear
energy. The solution that I have come to formulate is an app that collects all the data and
evidence about the history, science, and current production status of the nuclear industry and
the plants within them. The app doesn’t favor a side in speaking along the lines of pros or cons;
it remains neutral in the discussion. The overall goal of this solution is to allow the audience,
users, formulate their own opinions based on conclusive evidence.
An app is only as good as its user base. The mobile application is set to target those who
are the ages of sixteen and older. The app will contain a considerable amount of curated
content that will display general knowledge for research purposes to a younger audience but
will go further in-depth for a more knowledgeable user base who wish to see specific statistics
or political reports. The reason behind this targeted audience is that these groups are either
conscious or becoming concerned about the environment around them as well as the economy,
hence the involvement of politics. The reasoning behind the choice of app is because sixtythree
percent of the internet traffic comes from a mobile device. According to reports, every
third person worldwide owns a smartphone, thus creating a source that’s accessible to most
demographics. The app itself is nonprofitable, allowing free access to many individuals that are
technologically literate. Since the application is to remain neutral, the greater the audience is
enticed about. The solution does not favor one side of the debate and is to educate, which will
benefit the people regardless of their opinions and even the nuclear industry.
The purpose of this application is to educate the public about what’s happening to the
environment around them from the result of nuclear energy and how it compares to other
sources of energy. Nuclear Energy is a controversial topic that not everyone understands due to
the fact that it involves multiple parties and factors that aren’t as easily accessible. The goal for
this projected solution is to allow the audience (in this case, the users) to take action based
upon the relevant data that is generated. The people deserve to know the dangers of the plants
and the measures taken to ensure their safety in consideration of the environment they thrive
in. The situation that lurks with every problem is that there is more to it than meets the eye. A
problem stirs emotions and, when aided with a lack of content, can lead to misconceptions
regardless of the stance taken by individuals. If there was a way to address both sides of the
problem, then the idea is to present evidence that may, in return, provide closure or
clarification. As the world continues to grow, the more we need to understand to take
preventative measures to prevent the effects of global warming. To do this, we must look at the
origins of fueling production and the society around it to figure out a solution that can best help
achieve a carbon-free world that was supposedly envisioned decades prior. This is where
people can truly understand if nuclear energy is the way to go or not with the use of an app.
The solution that was previously stated was the development of a mobile application
that can be used to address the main issues, questions, production, and current actions (or
stats) of nuclear energy. One side can discover the advantages of the energy source, while the
other can find issues depending on the opinionated endgame of the users. Problems are
visually and contextually addressed within the application and will provide live updates of data
and even news that involve nuclear energy. The solution will enter a development stage where
it will be tested for easy navigation and content through the use of user usability testing plans,
including context scenarios. The reasons for the foundations of a mobile interface, as previously
stated, is due to the reasonings that mobile devices make up sixty-three percent of internet
traffic along with every third person, globally, owning a smartphone. There is more opportunity
to outreach to an audience using a mobile device than any other source.
Although everyone may own a smartphone, it does not necessarily mean everyone is
equal. Some features must address personnel who are either visually or hearing impaired.
According to the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), this situation means that you're making a
mobile app more accessible to users with disabilities. The idea expands upon the categories of
the specified target audience, thus creating an increase in diverse traffic. The concept of adding
accessibility features directs the trajectory in how the user interface (UI) will be designed. The
interface must have a balance in content flow (not overwhelming the user with information), a
balance in contrast ratio (especially for those who are visually impaired), and of course, bear
consistency. When it comes to consistency, the app must keep in mind the message it is trying
to address and answer questions such as: Does the style guide match the overall branding of
the app? Are the features relevant? Are the icons suitable for the application (via android or
iOS)? Is the user confused or not in terms of navigation? Does this app feel like its conveying
the feeling of nuclear energy or the understanding of it? The user interface (UI) is the specific
asset users interact with. For example, UI can deal with traditional concepts like visual design
elements such as colors and typography. UX, on the other hand, is what the individual
interacting with that product or service takes away from the entire experience. As separate as
these two concepts might be, both rely on each other to determine the success of the actual
solution. In this case, the solution is an app that is polished enough to meet the guidelines
determined for iOS applications (Apple's guidelines) that is suitable for launch.