Some may ask what nuclear energy is, the dictionary defines this as:
1. The energy released by a nuclear reaction, especially by fission or fusion.
2. Nuclear energy regarded as a source of power. Also called atomic energy
Nuclear power was first known to be researched in the early 1900's, and by the world war; it reached its greatest peak by demonstrating to the world its power to destroy. Nuclear energy can be good or bad, depending on how the person works with this material; it is used for both sides good and bad. Scientists were unsure from the beginning of how it was possible to get energy from the material called Uranium. They were sure that with its uniqueness it would be able to transform itself into different elements. So they were unsure of it for many years, until Albert Einstein he explored the world of nuclear energy. In 1905 he released his theory of the famous equation e=mc2 with this he knew that uranium was able to create masses of electricity. A few years later, scientists found out the great power of the atomic energy. Since then, both scientist and the public were unable to find the best fit for nuclear energy in our society. We have put it into power plants, but the government and public were disappointed by accidents. We have put it into war, and with it we have caused great damages. So the question is where can this energy go? Even though it has been discovered to be the greatest power source of the world today, nobody is willing to cooperate with it because of these accidents and accomplishments. I am not sure if my findings are accurate but by source tells me that today there are a total of 432 nuclear power plants and the amount keeps on lowering every day. Most of the US and Europe power plants have been shut down completely. The Asian power plant has kept its production going, and it is predicted that Asia might become the biggest energy producer of the world. Nuclear waste has sometimes been called the Achilles' heel of the nuclear power industry; much of the controversy over nuclear power concentrates on the lack of a disposal system for the radioactive spent fuel that must be regularly removed from operating reactors. Under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 and 1987 amendments, the Department of Energy, also known as DOE for short, is studying the suitability of places to store for housing in a deep underground repository for spent nuclear fuel and other highly radioactive waste. States have fought DOE's efforts on the grounds that the site is unsafe, pointing to potential activities earthquakes, volcanoes, water infiltration, underground flooding, nuclear chain reactions, and fossil fuels and mineral deposits that might encourage human intrusion in the future.
However, DOE contends that the evidence so far indicates that the places that they have chosen are likely to prove suitable and that studies of the site should continue. The safety of geological disposal of highly radioactive waste depends highly on the characteristics of the rock formations around it from which a repository would be hollowed out. Many geological formations are believed to have remained undisturbed for millions and millions of years, it appeared technically possible to isolate radioactive materials from the environment until they decayed high enough so that the level of the radioactive material is not harmful. Scientific confidence about the subject on the deep geologic disposal has been more difficult to apply to specific sites. Every high-level waste site that has been proposed by DOE discoveries of unacceptable flaws, such as groundwater flows or earthquake vulnerability, that could release radioactivity into the environment, this is not good for nature. Their are both pro’s and con’s for this form of energy some of the pro’s on nuclear energy are it gives off little pollution and as the demand for electricity goes up, the pollution produced from fossil fuels burning plants is rising towards dangerous levels. Gases, coals and oil working power plants are already responsible for half, if not more, of air pollution. Burning coal produces carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. The soft coal which most of the power plants use contains sulfur. When precipitation dissolves the smoke from this coal it produces sulfuric acid, which falls to the earth as acid rain. Coal also contains radioactive material. A coal-fired power plant spews more radiation into the air than a nuclear power plant. The world's reserves of fossil fuels are running out. The low quality, sulfurous coal which many plants use is dirtier than the coal that was previously used. Most of the 'clean' anthracite has been used up. As more 'soft coal' is used, the amount of pollution will increase. In a few decades, our fossil fuel-powered plants will be useless. There are large reserves of uranium, and new 'breeder reactors' can produce more fuel than they use. Unfortunately this does not mean we can have an endless supply of fuel -- like the perpetual motion machine, there is a catch. Breeder reactors need a feedstock of uranium and thorium, so when we run out of these two fuels (in about 1000 years); breeder reactors will cease to be useful. Nuclear power plants need little fuel, so they are fewer chances to shortages because of strikes or natural disasters. Nuclear power is one the safest methods of producing energy. Each year, 10,000 to 50,000 Americans die from respiratory diseases, because to the burning of coal and 300 are killed in mining and transportation accidents. Americans have died or been seriously injured because of a reactor accident or radiation exposure from American nuclear power plants. There are a number of safety mechanisms that make the chances of reactor accidents very low.
Nuclear plants are built according to principles. A series of active and passive barriers parts the radiation and heat of the reactor middle from the world. The reactor middle is contained within a 9-inch thick steel pressure vessel. A thick concrete wall surrounds the pressure vessel. This is inside a sealed steel containment structure, which itself is inside a steel-reinforced concrete 'dome', approximately four feet thick. The 'dome' is designed to withstand earthquakes or a direct hit by a crashing jumbo jet. There are also a large number of sensors that pick up increases in radiation or humidity. An increase in radiation or humidity could mean there is a leak. There are systems that control and stop the chain reaction if necessary. An Emergency Cooling System for the core ensures that in the event of an accident there is enough cooling water to cool the reactor. One disadvantage of uranium mining is that it leaves 'mill tailings', the residues from chemical processing of the ore, which leads to radon exposure to the public. These effects are over-compensated for by the fact that mining uranium out of the ground reduces future radon exposures. Coal burning leaves ashes that will increase future radon exposures. The estimates of radon effects are very much in favor of nuclear plants. Mining of the fuel required to operate a nuclear plant for one year will avert a few hundred deaths, while the ashes from a coal-burning plant will cause 300 deaths.

Works Cited
Book References
1. Eubanks, Lucy P., Catherine H. Middlecamp, Norbert J. Pienta, Carl E. Heltzel, and Gabriela C.
2. Weaver. Che"Nuclear Energy." Think Quest. 16 Apr. 2008 <http://www.library.thinkquest.org/3471/nuclear_energy.html>.

mistry in Context. 5th ed. New York, Ny: McGraw-Hill, 2006. 349-351.
Internet References
3. Lipper, Iian, and Jon Stone. "Nuclear Energy and Society." 16 Apr. 2008 <http://www.umich.edu/gs265/society/nuclear.html>.