A World with Thorium: Limitless Nuclear Power

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Imagine a silvery-white metal, filled with so much energy that it is named after the Greek god of thunder, and has the power to fuel the world. Dated forms of energy like fossil fuels are damaging our planet on a monumental scale; however the nuclear option is free of greenhouse waste products and available in large supply. What makes Thorium even more amazing is how efficient and clean it is; when producing the same amount of energy Nuclear reactors produce 0.02% of the CO2 made by a coal reactor (World Nuclear Association). In addition, Alexis Madrigal, a senior editor at the Atlantic Newspaper says Thorium reactors are “A brilliant solution to our energy dilemma: They would be impervious to meltdowns, could be built faster and smaller than traditional nuclear plants, and cannot be used to produce radioactive material for nuclear weapons” (Nelson). Moreover, as global struggles for energy continue, Thorium becomes a viable option that must be developed and implemented commercially.
Thorium is in a wide abundance all around the world and is extremely powerful and efficient. “Thorium is a highly sustainable fuel; reserves are currently assessed to be 3-5 times more abundant than uranium.” (Ashley). The Scientific American estimates that there is nearly 15.5 million metric tons of Uranium that is usable, it continues to say that new technology such as better detection and extraction should double that estimate. The nations with the highest estimated deposits of Thorium are Norway, India, Venezuela, Turkey, USA, and Australia (Thorium has a distinct signature and is easy to find by satellite). In fact the United States has a reserve already mined that could power the country for three years, and that is only one stockpile. In additi...

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