Wow! Now THAT is cool.

Similar research came out in 2006. In this particular research program, the researchers claim (of course it has to be repeated), that they have been able to reduce the half-life of radioactive materials by a factor of 100 or more.

We have the technology and knowhow to make nuclear power an acceptable alternative, IF we put our minds to it. Although no one likes high gas prices, perhaps this latest round of speculator driven spikes will encourage utilities and other technology companies to address the remaining concerns regarding nuclear power.

This is truly exciting news! Disposing of spent nuclear fuel has been the biggest drawback to nuclear power generation and one of the main reasons why people have opposed the construction of new nuclear power plants.

It will be interesting to gauge the reaction of those who oppose nuclear power generation now that the most significant objection has seemingly been overcome. Will they embrace this new technology and support the construction of new nuclear power plants to replace fossil fuel plants or will they find other reasons to oppose nuclear power?

I suspect that if they still oppose nuclear power as a solution to our energy needs then they will have exposed the real agenda that many have accused them of following; namely, an anti-capitalist, anti-growth agenda.

The benefits to our environment of closing our fossil fuel plants and reducing our need for coal and natural gas are enormous. Clean, safe nuclear power is indeed the best choice for the future especially since technology has found a solution to the problem of nuclear waste disposal.

Rick:

You are exactly correct about the real agenda of the AGW crowd. Great job!

I too, am curious what complaints will be generated about this latest solution to a real issue with nuclear power. I would be willing to place a Pete Rose sized bet that the same people, those who are old enough, who are currently crowing about AGW were the same ones protesting nuclear power in the 70's and 80's.

Sadly, the mass media will miss the connection to which you so profoundly alluded to.

Me, I'm just waiting for the fusion master 1000 or whatever from the Back to the Future movies.

Darren, thanks for the nice comments about my post! It seems to me that the real die-hard AGW proponents don't want to find practical solutions to our energy problems.

Europe, particularly France, is way ahead of the U.S. in nuclear power generation. The "greens" have effectively stopped all nuclear power plant constuction here for decades. I remember seeing TV footage of Jane Fonda and other activists protesting attempts to build nuclear power plants. This latest development promising safe conversion of nuclear waste really makes them look backward and foolish. I only hope that our government will adopt a pro-active energy policy that will enable new nuclear power plant construction. There will always be people who protest progress but our government has to have the backbone to stand up to them.

Of all the major industrial nations in Western Europe, France I read has the lowest concentration of CO2 in parts per million. Coincidentally, France put 80% of its power grid on nuclear power over 30 years ago.

For the US, nuclear power is still the best alternative to carbon based power generation. The other pie-in-the-sky solutions are either still on the drawing boards, are limited in the amount of power they can generate (solar, wind come to mind) because of enviormental considerations, or are simply unrealistic (using ocean waves for instance). I haven't read that anyone has accurately estimated how much CO2 our utility companies generate, but I think it is safe to assume that nuclear power would eventually allow us to reduce carbon emissions by 25% at least.