What prevents a nuclear reactor from becoming a nuclear bomb?

Heat generated in a nuclear reactor is passed onto water or gas, which runs through turbines. These turbines then create electricity by passing through electrical generators. Around the core of the reactor is a cooling system. By preventing overheating, the core is able to remain stable.

In March of 2011, a tsunami was created in the Pacific Ocean by the Tohoku earthquake. The enormous wave not only devastated Japan, but also destroyed the cooling system of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. A nuclear meltdown occurred.

As deadly as the Hiroshima A-bomb was to Japan, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor has emitted airborne radioactive particles of cesium that are worse by a factor of one hundred and sixty eight.

It’s currently three years after the disaster and the effects seem just as dangerous. As that groundwater seeps into the ocean, the world is put at risk, specifically countries like China, South Korea, and the United States of America  – whose coastlines may be in jeopardy of contamination due to ocean currents transporting radioactive material from Fukushima.

It’s the responsibility of caring citizens to protect the future health of the world, both from themselves and for future generations. Stay tuned for more on the Fukushima Fallout.

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