| Nuclear power is the controlled use of
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| | Research applications including:
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| nuclear reactions to release energy for
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| | Providing a source of neutron and
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| work including propulsion, heat, and the
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| | positron radiation (e.g. Neutron
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| generation of electricity. Use of nuclear
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| | activation analysis and Potassium-argon
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| power to do significant useful work is
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| | dating)
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| currently limited to nuclear fission and
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| | Development of nuclear technology
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| radioactive decay. Nuclear energy is
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| | The United States produces the most
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| produced when a fissile material, such as
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| | nuclear energy, with nuclear power
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| uranium-235. (235U), is concentrated such
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| | providing 20% of the electricity it
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| that nuclear fission takes place in a
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| | consumes, while France produces the
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| controlled chain reaction and creates
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| | highest percentage of its electrical
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| heat — which is used to boil water,
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| | energy from nuclear reactors—80% as of
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| produce steam, and drive a steam turbine.
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| | 2006. In the European Union as a whole,
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| The turbine can be used for mechanical
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| | nuclear energy provides 30% of the
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| work and also to generate electricity.
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| | electricity. Nuclear energy policy
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| Nuclear power provides 7% of the world's
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| | differs between countries, and some
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| energy and 15.7% of the world's
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| | countries such as Austria and Ireland
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| electricity and is used to power most
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| | have no active nuclear power stations.
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| military submarines and aircraft
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| | As of 2007, the IAEA reported there are
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| carriers.[1]
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| | 435 nuclear power reactors in operation
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| Disquiet over the safety of nuclear power
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| | in the world , operating in 31 different
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| was exacerbated by the unsafe design and
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| | countries . Together, they produce about
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| operation of the Soviet-built plant at
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| | 17% of the world's electric power. The
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| Chernobyl. However, new plants designed
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| | U.S., France, and Japan together account
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| to be safer than current Western plants
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| | for 49% of all nuclear power plants and
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| are on the verge of being built - and
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| | 57% of all nuclear generated electricity.
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| global warming concerns may spark a
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| | International research is ongoing into
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| resurgence. Controversy remains (see
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| | various safety improvements, the use of
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| Nuclear energy policy).
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| | nuclear fusion and additional uses such
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| Use
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| | as the generation of hydrogen (in support
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| Power:
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| | of hydrogen economy schemes), for
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| Heat for electricity generation
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| | desalinating sea water, and for use in
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| Heat for domestic and industrial heating
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| | district heating systems. Lately, there
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| Hydrogen production
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| | has been renewed interest in nuclear
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| Desalination
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| | energy from national governments due to
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| Nuclear propulsion:
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| | energy security and climate change. Other
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| Nuclear marine propulsion
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| | reasons for interest include the public,
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| Proposed nuclear thermal rockets
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| | some notable environmentalists due to
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| Proposed nuclear pulse propulsion rockets
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| | increased oil prices, new passively safe
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| Transmutation of elements:
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| | designs of plants. The low emission rate
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| Production of plutonium, often for use in
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| | of greenhouse gas which all countries,
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| nuclear weapons
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| | excluding the US and Australia, need to
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| Creating various radioactive isotopes,
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| | meet the standards of the Kyoto Protocol.
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| such as americium for use in smoke
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| | A few reactors are under construction,
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| detectors, and cobalt-60, molybdenum-99
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| | and several new types of reactors are
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| and others, used for imaging and medical
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| | planned.
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| treatment
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