Fukushima Reactor: TEPCO robot aims to extract nuclear fuel

Re:Fukushima Reactor: TEPCO robot aims to extract nuclear fuel by troyvit on Tuesday October 08, 2024 @11:24AM (#41778379)

Sure, but who defines "remote"? We've explored a small percentage of the ocean [1] and most of the places we have explored we've been surprised to find life. In fact NOAA estimates that 91% of species in the ocean have yet to be classified [2]. We'd be dumping what is basically a forever chemical into places that we don't understand.

If we can't responsibly keep track of the waste we're producing then we shouldn't produce it. I'm pro-nuclear, and I think we can do it, but we need to be the kind of civilization that can plan beyond the next quarter first.

[1] https://oceanliteracy.unesco.org/ocean-exploration/, https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/exploration.html

[2] https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ocean-species.html

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Re:Fukushima Reactor: TEPCO robot aims to extract nuclear fuel by rbanffy on Tuesday October 08, 2024 @12:14PM (#41778968)

Also, there’s the Godzilla factor you’d need to consider. It’s cheap to dump radioactive material near a deep-ocean vent until something decides to grow and destroys Tokyo. Again.

Now, seriously, screwing with ecosystems we know nothing about is a very bad idea, even if for no other reason than we being unable to study them after we turn them into radioactive deserts.

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