Explanation - Nuclear Energy

     Nuclear power seems in some ways much cleaner than other sources of energy. Take oil or coal as an example. When they are used in power stations, a great deal of smoke is produced. The smoke contains a great deal of acid. Even if the smoke is cleaned by filters, a lot of the acid still escapes into the air. This can be carried by clouds from power stations in England to Scandinavia. When it rains there, the acid comes down with the rain. As a result, the fish in lakes and trees in forests begin to die.

         But many people are still against nuclear power. They believe that the problem is not just the danger of an accident in the atomic power stations. Highly radioactive material is used. Radioactivity can cause cancer and other illness. Only a part of the material is used. The rest – called waste – is just as radioactive. Although it is still highly dangerous, this radioactive waste is often thrown into the sea. Nobody can be certain what will happen to it there. Only one thing is certain. It will be highly dangerous for at least 240.000 years.