Environmentalists Redebate Nuclear Power

Nuclear power’s rebound in Germany & California as energy rationing or blackouts loom has environmentalists zapping one another over it but what’d Dan Brown’s novel warn about man’s quest f/ultimate power source?

Actually, CERN now tells us author Brown’s premise in “Angels & Demons” that “antimatter can be produced in practical quantities and will be a limitless source of power” is plain wrong since “creating it takes more energy than it produces.” CERN should know, since it’s been researching it for decades. Still, one fair reading of Mr. Brown’s mystery thriller is his honest attempt to remind mankind that ANY powerful new energy source can be abused or misused, e.g., by greedy scientists, power-hungry politicians, manipulative religious leaders, naïve academics, deluded activists & biased journalists.

Brown’s historical account only touches on nuclear power, of course, but there HAD to be a reason way back when for most nations on earth to start building nuclear power plants in the first place. Let’s spare ourselves the history lesson. But, Hello Hiroshima. And read the WSJ “Rift Among Environmentalists” story for the renewed debate. May be the real mystery is why no one has been able to figure out how to solve the risks of the once-golden nuclear power that was so obvious from the get go. May be stop arguing and start finding solutions?

Davd Soul