Does Every Cloud Have Its Silver Lining?

The atomic sciences have become an extremely controversial subject since the dangers

of ionizing radiation were discovered. No area in the field knows this better than nuclear energy.

While (statistically, at least) it is the safest method of energy production on a large scale, the

few disasters that do occur often result in injuring or killing any living things involved, directly of

indirectly, in a very unique, terrifying, and arguably interesting way. Since the rise of social

media, both sides of the nuclear energy argument have further split away from each other.

While the extremists tend to get the most spotlight, civil arguments are not uncommon as well

as the sharing of credible information. Either way, there are plenty of opinions out there

regarding nuclear energy.

Nuclear advocate organization

Americans for Nuclear Energy

(ANE) posted a meme using a

screenshot from The Eric Andre

Show. Nuclear energy, while a

hotly debated topic in general,

isn’t always included in climate

change debate due to its

dangers. ANE is one of many

groups that strives to include

nuclear energy in everyday life

due to its lack of CO2 emissions,

a large cause of climate change.

 Twitter account @EcoSenseNow

replies to a comment about

nuclear energy during a debate

on Twitter. The tweeter notes that

the term “safe” is relative and that

nothing will be perfectly safe;

defending nuclear power after

someone uses 3 prominent

disasters to argue against it.

These are common arguments for

both sides; pro-nuclear groups point out the safety of the energy source while anti-nuclear

groups remind people of when nuclear power goes wrong.

@DoomsdayCW on Twitter

explains why nuclear energy

actually contributes to global

warming through the emission

of carbon during the obtaining,

handling, and disposing of

uranium fuel. They provide a

simple yet expansive

infographic to prove their point

as well.
 Instagram user @hamedadefuwa, an energy

broker who created his own company, uses

typography to share a quote they “couldn’t

agree with more.” The quote is from Professor

Mark Z. Jacobson of Stanford University,

showing that Jacobson is not only a supportive

source, but a reliable and intelligent one as

well. The bottom text, “Hamed Adefuwa”, is

likely more of an art signature rather than a

quote credit.

Photographer Rick Smith uses an aerial photo of

Sequoyah Nuclear Plants cooling towers to ask a

loaded question. Posts like these, seeking

opinions, aren’t that common; many are very

much on one side or the other. Unfortunately, he

himself doesn’t seem to answer his own question.