X-Message-Number: 20649 Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 07:55:11 -0500 From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: CryoNet #20639 - #20646 Hi everyone! Funny thing about nuclear power: another recent study by people independent of the industry (academics) concludes that nuclear reactors with the kind of protection US nuclear reactors have would be very poor targets for terrorism. I'm very busy with another project (the next PERIASTRON) but promise to give a citation of this study soon. But here's the basic argument: all that protective enclosure which such reactors already have makes it hard to bust them with a bomb. And especially now, after 9/11, infiltrating one so you can commit suicide by making it "blow up" would be very hard. Not only that, but the reactor is designed so that it cannot literally blow up. As for using reprocessed fuels, to my own mind that seems an unreasonable fear. There are lots of easier ways to cause widespread damage, and those with access to fission elements don't seem to want to give them away to others very freely at all. Some without them might SAY that they would if they had them (Saddam Hussein?) but a little thought will tell them that by doing that they lose control over them, and might find their own bombs made ready for them right in their own bedroom. As for fusion, that's good too, even though there will be radioactivity around the early fusion reactors too. Fusion power even gives us an interesting comparison with cryonics: its been under research for MANY years now, on the edge of success. For some reason no one objects either to this research or to the fact that it has not yet eventuated in a working fusion reactor providing power. Hmmm. Best wishes and long long life for all, Thomas Donaldson Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=20649