Mother Nature Fights Back.

[JBR]

We have one up here beside us.... Well, along the coast a wee bit. It's proper name is "Dounreay" but it's mostly called "The Blot"
The beach "Sandside" it overlooks is lovely, but I seldom went there for our walk.

It might be a 'blot', but it's providing most of your reliable electricity.

[Raven]

Not anymore it's not.
Dounreay was the UK's centre of fast reactor research and development from 1955 until 1994 and is now Scotland's largest nuclear clean-up and demolition project.

[klondike]

I'm in favour but there is always that nagging little voice asking me why are they always sited in remote locations. Then rationality answers because of NIMBYs and the planning system.

There have been accidents but apart from Chernobyl there has been little in the way of widespread contamination or casualties.

If we are going to continue in a world of comfort with increasing energy demand and not return to one of hunter gatherers rubbing boy scouts together or whatever it is you do to light a campfire then nuclear will need to form part of the mix of energy sources.

[Raven]

This is why I don't go to Sandside.

[JBR]

Not anymore it's not.
Dounreay was the UK's centre of fast reactor research and development from 1955 until 1994 and is now Scotland's largest nuclear clean-up and demolition project.

Well it was worth it then!

[Alex]

Dounreay was where all the 'naughty boys' got transferred to 

[JBR]

Dounreay was where all the 'naughty boys' got transferred to 

But wasn't it part of our research?  Of course, that was in the days when we were world leaders in the development of nuclear power production.

[klondike]

I saw something a little depressing about fusion reactors on YouTube the other day. The easiest fuel to get to work (which is still a long way from easy) is a mix of two isotopes of hydrogen - deuterium and tritium.

The supply of deuterium is pretty much limitless as it occurs naturally and there is enough in the oceans to power us for millions of years.

Not so tritium. There are no natural sources and the total world supply is a byproduct of some fission reactors. Total world supply is about 25kg and to get a fusion reactor going takes 10 to 15kg. The main source reactors have been shut down. It has a half life of iirc 12 years. This shortage will probably stop future reactors using it and they will need to be deuterium fuelled only which is apparently a lot harder to make work.

[Cassandra]

Bet on the harder route to be the one the bleedin Greens will want!

Why are Greens mainly women and why ugly ones like Bennet and that maggot Thunberg?

[Alex]

But wasn't it part of our research?  Of course, that was in the days when we were world leaders in the development of nuclear power production.

Yes, sorry JBR I should have said it was the UKAEA Police who were banished to Dounreay

[JBR]

Yes, sorry JBR I should have said it was the UKAEA Police who were banished to Dounreay

Oh dear.  Were they naughty little policemen, like the ones Khan governs?
I'd banish Khan to Dounreay if I could.

[muddy]

I'm in favour but there is always that nagging little voice asking me why are they always sited in remote locations. Then rationality answers because of NIMBYs and the planning system.

There have been accidents but apart from Chernobyl there has been little in the way of widespread contamination or casualties.

If we are going to continue in a world of comfort with increasing energy demand and not return to one of hunter gatherers rubbing boy scouts together or whatever it is you do to light a campfire then nuclear will need to form part of the mix of energy sources.

If we were all hunter gatherers it would solve the obesity problem 

[klondike]

The transistion would likely be an extinction event. The number of modern humans capable of surviving as hunter gatherers is going to be tiny. How long do you think you'd last?

[muddy]

Not long .
I can't find things if I go to a different supermarket much less searching for na few nuts and berries.
I suppose I would have to live off nettle soup.

[Cassandra]

Oh dear.  Were they naughty little policemen, like the ones Khan governs?
I'd banish Khan to Dounreay if I could.

Yes absolutely ~ right down one of the reactor rod silo's