An Overview of Energy, Radiation, and Nuclear Issues: A Primer on Energy, Radiation and Nuclear Fuel Cycles

This compilation of eight science articles, comprises first, a general overview of energy choices in our society, with a focus on availability, costs, safety, wastes, energy densities, and environmental impact. This is followed by primers on Radiation in general, Nuclear Fuel Cycles, Nuclear Wastes, and Recycling or disposal of once-though Nuclear fuels. There is a brief look at the Breeder cycles, and fuel availability for millions of years. An article examines our perceptions of risks, and their actual impacts upon society over the last few hundred years. Finally, Health Effects of all levels of radiation and uses throughout society are compared and examined so that risks from most aspects of Energy in general, and Nuclear Technology in particular, can be realistically compared from a scientific, rather than a purely emotional, and usually misleading perspective.