Author: Jürgen Kiefer
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642186874
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 306
Book Description
Scope and ideas of the workshop The workshop which took place at the University of Giessen from Oct. 3 to Oct. 7, 2002 and whose proceedings are collected in this volume started from the idea to convene a number of scientists with the aim to outline their ”visions” for the future of radiation research on the basis of their expertise. As radiation research is a very wide field restrictions were unavoidable. It was decided to concentrate this time mainly on molecular and cellular biology because it was felt that here action is par-ticularly needed. This did not exclude contributions from neighbouring fields as may be seen from the table of contents. It was clearly not planned to have a c- prehensive account of the present scientif fic achievements but the results presented should only serve as a starting point for the discussion of future lines of research, with the emphasis on the ”outreach” to other parts of life sciences. If you are interested in the future ask the young – we attempted, therefore, to invite mainly younger colleagues (with a few exceptions) who had, however, already left their marks in the field. They were asked to describe what they felt is important in radiation research and may have significant influences on other branches of life sciences. They were given the task to demonstrate what is lost for science ”if we do no longer exist”.
Life Sciences and Radiation
Author: Jürgen Kiefer
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642186874
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 306
Book Description
Scope and ideas of the workshop The workshop which took place at the University of Giessen from Oct. 3 to Oct. 7, 2002 and whose proceedings are collected in this volume started from the idea to convene a number of scientists with the aim to outline their ”visions” for the future of radiation research on the basis of their expertise. As radiation research is a very wide field restrictions were unavoidable. It was decided to concentrate this time mainly on molecular and cellular biology because it was felt that here action is par-ticularly needed. This did not exclude contributions from neighbouring fields as may be seen from the table of contents. It was clearly not planned to have a c- prehensive account of the present scientif fic achievements but the results presented should only serve as a starting point for the discussion of future lines of research, with the emphasis on the ”outreach” to other parts of life sciences. If you are interested in the future ask the young – we attempted, therefore, to invite mainly younger colleagues (with a few exceptions) who had, however, already left their marks in the field. They were asked to describe what they felt is important in radiation research and may have significant influences on other branches of life sciences. They were given the task to demonstrate what is lost for science ”if we do no longer exist”.
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642186874
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 306
Book Description
Scope and ideas of the workshop The workshop which took place at the University of Giessen from Oct. 3 to Oct. 7, 2002 and whose proceedings are collected in this volume started from the idea to convene a number of scientists with the aim to outline their ”visions” for the future of radiation research on the basis of their expertise. As radiation research is a very wide field restrictions were unavoidable. It was decided to concentrate this time mainly on molecular and cellular biology because it was felt that here action is par-ticularly needed. This did not exclude contributions from neighbouring fields as may be seen from the table of contents. It was clearly not planned to have a c- prehensive account of the present scientif fic achievements but the results presented should only serve as a starting point for the discussion of future lines of research, with the emphasis on the ”outreach” to other parts of life sciences. If you are interested in the future ask the young – we attempted, therefore, to invite mainly younger colleagues (with a few exceptions) who had, however, already left their marks in the field. They were asked to describe what they felt is important in radiation research and may have significant influences on other branches of life sciences. They were given the task to demonstrate what is lost for science ”if we do no longer exist”.
Molecular Radiation Biology
Author: Hermann Dertinger
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1468462474
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Book Description
There can hardly be any doubt that radiation will continue to be an im portant factor in our lives. Present and future advances in atomic tech nology urgently require further work on research and development in the field of radiation biology if the maximum benefit is to be obtained at minimal risk from the various kinds of radiation that form a major by product of nuclear processes. Consequently, it is also necessary to prepare students and younger scientists for doing such work. The present book originates from teaching experience gained in lectures, seminars, and discussion groups started by the undersigned in 1957 and more recently held together with Drs. Dertinger and Jung. The friendly comments given to the German edition made us feel that it might be worth while to put the results of our efforts at the disposal of those to whom English is more familiar. In agreement with the view, based on well-known facts, that most if not aIl of the more striking practical achievements have resulted from patient and careful investigations into some basic problem, the book aims at introducing the reader to the methods of thought and experiment used in molecular radiation biology as weIl as to the results obtained thereby.
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1468462474
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Book Description
There can hardly be any doubt that radiation will continue to be an im portant factor in our lives. Present and future advances in atomic tech nology urgently require further work on research and development in the field of radiation biology if the maximum benefit is to be obtained at minimal risk from the various kinds of radiation that form a major by product of nuclear processes. Consequently, it is also necessary to prepare students and younger scientists for doing such work. The present book originates from teaching experience gained in lectures, seminars, and discussion groups started by the undersigned in 1957 and more recently held together with Drs. Dertinger and Jung. The friendly comments given to the German edition made us feel that it might be worth while to put the results of our efforts at the disposal of those to whom English is more familiar. In agreement with the view, based on well-known facts, that most if not aIl of the more striking practical achievements have resulted from patient and careful investigations into some basic problem, the book aims at introducing the reader to the methods of thought and experiment used in molecular radiation biology as weIl as to the results obtained thereby.
Radiation Chemistry
Author: Mehran Mostafavi
Publisher: L'Editeur : EDP Sciences
ISBN: 9782759800247
Category : Radiation chemistry
Languages : en
Pages : 307
Book Description
Publisher: L'Editeur : EDP Sciences
ISBN: 9782759800247
Category : Radiation chemistry
Languages : en
Pages : 307
Book Description
Radiation
Author: Ilya Obodovskiy
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0444639861
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 722
Book Description
The author is ready to assert that practically none of the readers of this book will ever happen to deal with large doses of radiation. But the author, without a shadow of a doubt, claims that any readers of this book, regardless of gender, age, financial situation, type of professional activity, and habits, are actually exposed to low doses of radiation throughout their life. This book is devoted to the effect of small doses on the body. To understand the basic effects of radiation on humans, the book contains the necessary information from an atomic, molecular and nuclear physics, as well as from biochemistry and biology. Special attention is paid to the issues that are either not considered or discussed very briefly in existing literature. Examples include the ionization of inner atomic shells that play an essential role in radiological processes, and the questions of transformation of the energy of ionizing radiation in matter. The benefits of ionizing radiation to mankind is reflected in a wide range of radiation technologies used in science, industry, agriculture, culture, art, forensics, and, what is the most important application, medicine. Radiation: Fundamentals, Applications, Risks and Safety provides information on the use of radiation in modern life, its usefulness and indispensability. Experiments on the effects of small doses on bacteria, fungi, algae, insects, plants and animals are described. Human medical experiments are inhuman and ethically flawed. However, during the familiarity of mankind with ionizing radiation, a large number of population groups were subject to accumulation, exposed to radiation at doses of small but exceeding the natural background radiation. This book analyzes existing, real-life radiation results from survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Chernobyl and Fukushima, and examines studies of radiation effect on patients, radiologists, crews of long-distant flights and astronauts, on miners of uranium copies, on workers of nuclear industry and on militaries, exposed to ionizing radiation on a professional basis, and on the population of the various countries receiving environmental exposure. The author hopes that this book can mitigate the impact of radiation phobia, which prevails in the public consciousness over the last half century. - Explores the science of radiation and the effects of radiation technologies and biological processes - Analyzes the elementary processes of ionization and excitation - Summarizes information about inner shells ionization and its impact on matter and biological structures - Discusses quantum concepts in biology and clarifies the importance of epigenetics in radiological processes - Includes case studies focusing on humans irradiated by low doses of radiation and its effects
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0444639861
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 722
Book Description
The author is ready to assert that practically none of the readers of this book will ever happen to deal with large doses of radiation. But the author, without a shadow of a doubt, claims that any readers of this book, regardless of gender, age, financial situation, type of professional activity, and habits, are actually exposed to low doses of radiation throughout their life. This book is devoted to the effect of small doses on the body. To understand the basic effects of radiation on humans, the book contains the necessary information from an atomic, molecular and nuclear physics, as well as from biochemistry and biology. Special attention is paid to the issues that are either not considered or discussed very briefly in existing literature. Examples include the ionization of inner atomic shells that play an essential role in radiological processes, and the questions of transformation of the energy of ionizing radiation in matter. The benefits of ionizing radiation to mankind is reflected in a wide range of radiation technologies used in science, industry, agriculture, culture, art, forensics, and, what is the most important application, medicine. Radiation: Fundamentals, Applications, Risks and Safety provides information on the use of radiation in modern life, its usefulness and indispensability. Experiments on the effects of small doses on bacteria, fungi, algae, insects, plants and animals are described. Human medical experiments are inhuman and ethically flawed. However, during the familiarity of mankind with ionizing radiation, a large number of population groups were subject to accumulation, exposed to radiation at doses of small but exceeding the natural background radiation. This book analyzes existing, real-life radiation results from survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Chernobyl and Fukushima, and examines studies of radiation effect on patients, radiologists, crews of long-distant flights and astronauts, on miners of uranium copies, on workers of nuclear industry and on militaries, exposed to ionizing radiation on a professional basis, and on the population of the various countries receiving environmental exposure. The author hopes that this book can mitigate the impact of radiation phobia, which prevails in the public consciousness over the last half century. - Explores the science of radiation and the effects of radiation technologies and biological processes - Analyzes the elementary processes of ionization and excitation - Summarizes information about inner shells ionization and its impact on matter and biological structures - Discusses quantum concepts in biology and clarifies the importance of epigenetics in radiological processes - Includes case studies focusing on humans irradiated by low doses of radiation and its effects
Health Risks from Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation
Author: Committee to Assess Health Risks from Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309133343
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 422
Book Description
This book is the seventh in a series of titles from the National Research Council that addresses the effects of exposure to low dose LET (Linear Energy Transfer) ionizing radiation and human health. Updating information previously presented in the 1990 publication, Health Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation: BEIR V, this book draws upon new data in both epidemiologic and experimental research. Ionizing radiation arises from both natural and man-made sources and at very high doses can produce damaging effects in human tissue that can be evident within days after exposure. However, it is the low-dose exposures that are the focus of this book. So-called “late” effects, such as cancer, are produced many years after the initial exposure. This book is among the first of its kind to include detailed risk estimates for cancer incidence in addition to cancer mortality. BEIR VII offers a full review of the available biological, biophysical, and epidemiological literature since the last BEIR report on the subject and develops the most up-to-date and comprehensive risk estimates for cancer and other health effects from exposure to low-level ionizing radiation.
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309133343
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 422
Book Description
This book is the seventh in a series of titles from the National Research Council that addresses the effects of exposure to low dose LET (Linear Energy Transfer) ionizing radiation and human health. Updating information previously presented in the 1990 publication, Health Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation: BEIR V, this book draws upon new data in both epidemiologic and experimental research. Ionizing radiation arises from both natural and man-made sources and at very high doses can produce damaging effects in human tissue that can be evident within days after exposure. However, it is the low-dose exposures that are the focus of this book. So-called “late” effects, such as cancer, are produced many years after the initial exposure. This book is among the first of its kind to include detailed risk estimates for cancer incidence in addition to cancer mortality. BEIR VII offers a full review of the available biological, biophysical, and epidemiological literature since the last BEIR report on the subject and develops the most up-to-date and comprehensive risk estimates for cancer and other health effects from exposure to low-level ionizing radiation.
Isotopes for Medicine and the Life Sciences
Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309176697
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 144
Book Description
Radioactive isotopes and enriched stable isotopes are used widely in medicine, agriculture, industry, and science, where their application allows us to perform many tasks more accurately, more simply, less expensively, and more quickly than would otherwise be possible. Indeed, in many casesâ€"for example, biological tracersâ€"there is no alternative. In a stellar example of "technology transfer" that began before the term was popular, the Department of Energy (DOE) and its predecessors has supported the development and application of isotopes and their transfer to the private sector. The DOE is now at an important crossroads: Isotope production has suffered as support for DOE's laboratories has declined. In response to a DOE request, this book is an intensive examination of isotope production and availability, including the education and training of those who will be needed to sustain the flow of radioactive and stable materials from their sources to the laboratories and medical care facilities in which they are used. Chapters include an examination of enriched stable isotopes; reactor and accelerator-produced radionuclides; partnerships among industries, national laboratories, and universities; and national isotope policy.
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309176697
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 144
Book Description
Radioactive isotopes and enriched stable isotopes are used widely in medicine, agriculture, industry, and science, where their application allows us to perform many tasks more accurately, more simply, less expensively, and more quickly than would otherwise be possible. Indeed, in many casesâ€"for example, biological tracersâ€"there is no alternative. In a stellar example of "technology transfer" that began before the term was popular, the Department of Energy (DOE) and its predecessors has supported the development and application of isotopes and their transfer to the private sector. The DOE is now at an important crossroads: Isotope production has suffered as support for DOE's laboratories has declined. In response to a DOE request, this book is an intensive examination of isotope production and availability, including the education and training of those who will be needed to sustain the flow of radioactive and stable materials from their sources to the laboratories and medical care facilities in which they are used. Chapters include an examination of enriched stable isotopes; reactor and accelerator-produced radionuclides; partnerships among industries, national laboratories, and universities; and national isotope policy.
Radiation And Modern Life
Author: Alan E. Waltar
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 1615923160
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 336
Book Description
With an introduction by Marie Curie''s granddaughter, nuclear physicist Dr. Hélène Langevin-Joliot, who reveals a host of interesting and hitherto unknown stories about her famous family (winners of five Nobel Prizes), this unique popular science book dispels many unfounded fears and provides a wealth of valuable information.As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Marie Curie''s first Nobel Prize, awarded to her and her husband, Pierre, for their monumental discovery of radioactivity, it is an ideal time to reflect on the countless ways that their astounding work has so marvelously enriched our daily lives. Despite public fears of the potentially harmful effects of radiation from nuclear waste, we in fact rely on its many beneficial uses everyday for fresh food preservation, fighting terrorism, stopping crime, cancer detection and treatment, spacecraft power, and numerous other life-enhancing applications.In this lucid overview of radiation''s many great benefits and ongoing potential, Dr. Alan E. Waltar, past president of the American Nuclear Society, explains how this important energy source has been harnessed to serve a plethora of humanitarian tasks. Through artful use of vivid anecdotes that give vibrancy to technical explanations, Waltar provides numerous examples of radiation''s many uses in agriculture, medicine, electricity generation, modern industry, transportation, public safety, environmental protection, space exploration, and even archeology and the arts. Estimating the total financial contribution of all these varied uses, Waltar comes to the startling revelation that radiation technology now contributes more than $420 billion to the U.S. economy and over 4.4 million jobs. In only one century, Marie Curie''s discoveries have provided an infrastructure larger than the entire U.S. airline industry.In the future Dr. Waltar foresees continuous improvement in many areas of science, industry, and medicine through tapping the incredible potential of Marie Curie''s initial insights. At a time when our dependency on foreign oil makes us vulnerable and when we know that our fossil fuel resources will soon be used up, we need to understand radiation more than ever. This superb book will provide that necessary insight.
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 1615923160
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 336
Book Description
With an introduction by Marie Curie''s granddaughter, nuclear physicist Dr. Hélène Langevin-Joliot, who reveals a host of interesting and hitherto unknown stories about her famous family (winners of five Nobel Prizes), this unique popular science book dispels many unfounded fears and provides a wealth of valuable information.As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Marie Curie''s first Nobel Prize, awarded to her and her husband, Pierre, for their monumental discovery of radioactivity, it is an ideal time to reflect on the countless ways that their astounding work has so marvelously enriched our daily lives. Despite public fears of the potentially harmful effects of radiation from nuclear waste, we in fact rely on its many beneficial uses everyday for fresh food preservation, fighting terrorism, stopping crime, cancer detection and treatment, spacecraft power, and numerous other life-enhancing applications.In this lucid overview of radiation''s many great benefits and ongoing potential, Dr. Alan E. Waltar, past president of the American Nuclear Society, explains how this important energy source has been harnessed to serve a plethora of humanitarian tasks. Through artful use of vivid anecdotes that give vibrancy to technical explanations, Waltar provides numerous examples of radiation''s many uses in agriculture, medicine, electricity generation, modern industry, transportation, public safety, environmental protection, space exploration, and even archeology and the arts. Estimating the total financial contribution of all these varied uses, Waltar comes to the startling revelation that radiation technology now contributes more than $420 billion to the U.S. economy and over 4.4 million jobs. In only one century, Marie Curie''s discoveries have provided an infrastructure larger than the entire U.S. airline industry.In the future Dr. Waltar foresees continuous improvement in many areas of science, industry, and medicine through tapping the incredible potential of Marie Curie''s initial insights. At a time when our dependency on foreign oil makes us vulnerable and when we know that our fossil fuel resources will soon be used up, we need to understand radiation more than ever. This superb book will provide that necessary insight.
Life Sciences
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309038804
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 154
Book Description
Early in 1984, NASA asked the Space Science Board to undertake a study to determine the principal scientific issues that the disciplines of space science would face during the period from about 1995 to 2015. The findings of this study are published in this volume.
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309038804
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 154
Book Description
Early in 1984, NASA asked the Space Science Board to undertake a study to determine the principal scientific issues that the disciplines of space science would face during the period from about 1995 to 2015. The findings of this study are published in this volume.
Biological Responses, Monitoring and Protection from Radiation Exposure
Author: K. P. Mishra
Publisher: Nova Science Publishers
ISBN: 9781634638524
Category : Radiation
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
This book deals with urgent and timely issues related to radiation health effects and protection that are examined by both young researchers as well as experts. The book is organized into three major sections: biological responses, population monitoring and approaches to protection from radiation exposure. Contributors have provided state of the art research in their respective chapters. Radiation action produces damage to multiple targets in the exposed cells or human body and understanding of molecular mechanisms of the underlying processes becomes central to the monitoring of effects and health consequences of radiation exposure. Many experts have highlighted the outcome of epidemiological studies on human populations in high background radiation areas in different locations around the world as well as consequences and scopes for mitigating radiation health effects after radiation accidents such as Chernobyl in Ukraine and the Fukushima Daiichi Accident in Japan. This book also provides important direction for treatment of radiation for exposed victims. In the concluding chapters, contributors have provided new approaches for protection against ionizing radiation exposure. This book contains rich content on basic aspects of radiation induced cellular response which may give deeper insight to beginners in research, teaching, industry and regulatory authorities for basic understanding of radiobiological processes and molecular mechanisms. The book will prove an authentic reference source for updates in radiation science. It is hoped that students, teachers, experts, safety officers, regulatory officials and policy-makers will find the book handy for gaining a broad view of radiation damage to biological systems, monitoring health consequences and for new approaches in developing effective protection against radiation exposure.
Publisher: Nova Science Publishers
ISBN: 9781634638524
Category : Radiation
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
This book deals with urgent and timely issues related to radiation health effects and protection that are examined by both young researchers as well as experts. The book is organized into three major sections: biological responses, population monitoring and approaches to protection from radiation exposure. Contributors have provided state of the art research in their respective chapters. Radiation action produces damage to multiple targets in the exposed cells or human body and understanding of molecular mechanisms of the underlying processes becomes central to the monitoring of effects and health consequences of radiation exposure. Many experts have highlighted the outcome of epidemiological studies on human populations in high background radiation areas in different locations around the world as well as consequences and scopes for mitigating radiation health effects after radiation accidents such as Chernobyl in Ukraine and the Fukushima Daiichi Accident in Japan. This book also provides important direction for treatment of radiation for exposed victims. In the concluding chapters, contributors have provided new approaches for protection against ionizing radiation exposure. This book contains rich content on basic aspects of radiation induced cellular response which may give deeper insight to beginners in research, teaching, industry and regulatory authorities for basic understanding of radiobiological processes and molecular mechanisms. The book will prove an authentic reference source for updates in radiation science. It is hoped that students, teachers, experts, safety officers, regulatory officials and policy-makers will find the book handy for gaining a broad view of radiation damage to biological systems, monitoring health consequences and for new approaches in developing effective protection against radiation exposure.
Radiation and Reason
Author: Wade Allison
Publisher: YPD-BOOKS
ISBN: 0956275613
Category : Nuclear energy
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
This is a positive and accessible account of the effect of radiation on life that brings good news for the future of mankind. For more than half a century the view that radiation represents an extreme hazard has been accepted. This book challenges that view by facing the question "How dangerous is ionising radiation?" Briefly the answer is that radiation is about a thousand times less hazardous than suggested by current safety standards. For many this will come as a surprise and then quickly raise a second question "Why are people so worried about radiation?" This is the out-of-date result of Cold War politics combined with a concern about radiation that was appropriate in an earlier age when the scientific understanding was limited. In the book these answers are explained in accessible language and related directly to modern scientific evidence and understanding, for instance the high levels of radiation used to the benefit of health in every major hospital. Four facts illustrate the need for a new understanding. 1. The radiation levels in the nuclear waste storage hall at Sellafield, UK are so low (1 micro-sievert per hour) that anyone would have to stay there for a million hours to receive the same dose that any patient on a course of radiotherapy treatment receives to their healthy tissue in a single day (1 sievert or gray). 2. The radiation dose experienced by the survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs caused 0.6% to die of radiation-induced cancer between 1950 and 2000, that is about 1/20 of the chance of dying of cancer anyway and less than the chance of being killed on US highways in that period. 3. The wildlife at Chernobyl today is reported to be thriving, despite being radioactive. 4. The mortality of UK radiation workers before age 85 from all cancers is 15-20% lower than comparable groups. The case for a complete change in attitude towards radiation safety is unrelated to the effects of climate change. But the realisation that radiation and nuclear energy are much safer than is usually supposed is of extreme importance to the current discussion of alternatives to fossil fuels and their relative costs.
Publisher: YPD-BOOKS
ISBN: 0956275613
Category : Nuclear energy
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
This is a positive and accessible account of the effect of radiation on life that brings good news for the future of mankind. For more than half a century the view that radiation represents an extreme hazard has been accepted. This book challenges that view by facing the question "How dangerous is ionising radiation?" Briefly the answer is that radiation is about a thousand times less hazardous than suggested by current safety standards. For many this will come as a surprise and then quickly raise a second question "Why are people so worried about radiation?" This is the out-of-date result of Cold War politics combined with a concern about radiation that was appropriate in an earlier age when the scientific understanding was limited. In the book these answers are explained in accessible language and related directly to modern scientific evidence and understanding, for instance the high levels of radiation used to the benefit of health in every major hospital. Four facts illustrate the need for a new understanding. 1. The radiation levels in the nuclear waste storage hall at Sellafield, UK are so low (1 micro-sievert per hour) that anyone would have to stay there for a million hours to receive the same dose that any patient on a course of radiotherapy treatment receives to their healthy tissue in a single day (1 sievert or gray). 2. The radiation dose experienced by the survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs caused 0.6% to die of radiation-induced cancer between 1950 and 2000, that is about 1/20 of the chance of dying of cancer anyway and less than the chance of being killed on US highways in that period. 3. The wildlife at Chernobyl today is reported to be thriving, despite being radioactive. 4. The mortality of UK radiation workers before age 85 from all cancers is 15-20% lower than comparable groups. The case for a complete change in attitude towards radiation safety is unrelated to the effects of climate change. But the realisation that radiation and nuclear energy are much safer than is usually supposed is of extreme importance to the current discussion of alternatives to fossil fuels and their relative costs.