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Nuclear energy is energy created through atoms. By either splitting atoms (fission) or merging them (fusion), it creates energy from the reaction. Nuclear energy, while it does produce a large amount of power, has several other hazards. Nuclear energy creates dangerous nuclear waste which is difficult to deal with. It must be stored in a secure location until it can be properly dealt with. Power plants also run the risk of a meltdown. If one stage of the process is destroyed, it can lead to a radiation leak which can make the area around the plant unlivable for years. The radiation created with many nuclear plants can be devastating to the environment. The Chernobyl incident, which is one of the worst nuclear accidents ever, caused the resettlement of over 300,000 people and exposed even more to dangerous radiation, which can lead to increased cancer rates in both people and animals. Even though the area of the incident is still under quarantine, many consider the area to be safe for resettlement. One of the big advantages of nuclear energy is the amount of power it can produce from one plant, although the cost for building one is quite high. The dangerous effects nuclear power can have on people or the environment have led many of the more developed countries to steer away from the use of nuclear energy until the risks can be eliminated. |
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