Nuclear EnergyEnergy consumption has become a necessity and an important part of our daily lives over the last 10 years. It seems that the world is looking for an energy source that is cleaner, cheaper and more efficient and since the emergence of nuclear energy it has become the forerunner of alternative energy sources. “In 2004, nuclear energy provided 6.5% of the world's energy and 15.7% of the world's electricity, with the United States, France and Japan together accounting for 57% of nuclear-generated electricity” ( “Nuclear Energy Facts” 2007). Nuclear energy can be a double-edged sword as it can be used for peaceful uses or used to make weapons of mass destruction that can endanger the world. As more and more countries begin to use nuclear energy, especially in the Middle East, Western countries' fears increase as they cannot be sure whether their intentions are for peaceful or military uses. Many people argue that the main problem with nuclear power plants is the radioactive waste it leaves behind that has no use. “A typical nuclear power plant generates 20 tons of used nuclear fuel in a year. The nuclear industry generates a total of approximately 2,300 tons of used fuel per year" ("Nuclear waste: quantity and on-site storage"). There are mainly two types of radioactive waste, low-level waste and high-level waste. Low-level waste is ordinary objects that come into contact with some radiation and is generated anywhere radioisotopes are used or produced, such as a hospital. High level waste is the actual spent fuel, or the residual waste resulting from the reprocessing of spent fuel. It takes tens of thousands of years for this waste to decompose and be harmless to the environment, so it needs professional labor... middle of paper... in the wrong hands it can lead to wars and disasters. If used correctly, it can become an efficient source of energy in the future, treat and diagnose diseases, and, most importantly, prevent wars. Works Cited http://www.our-energy.com/energy_facts/nuclear_energy_facts.html http:/ /www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/nuclear_statistics/nuclearwasteamountsandonsitestorage/http://www.copperwiki.org/index.php/Nuclear_energyhttp ://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/rev26-34/text/colmain.htmlhttp //physicsworld.com/cws/article/print/22745http://www.ehow.com/about_5100776_disadvantages-nuclear-energy. htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_poisoninghttp://www.physics.isu.edu/radinf/np-risk.htmhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/inf07.htmlhttp: //www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf55.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterilization_%28microbiology%29