Editor's Comments

The article in the April, 2014 issue by Mycle Schneider, The Status of the Nuclear Industry in the World – Dawn or Dusk?, concluded that “The global nuclear industry is well in the dusk with little prospect of seeing the dawn again.” This view is not shared by all and we present two responses in this issue. First, Wallace Manheimer points out that renewable energy is not ready and, if we intend to reduce our fossil fuel consumption, nuclear energy is the only viable alternative. Then, Vojin Joksimovich reviews the global status of operating nuclear plants and planned construction and concludes that the Fukushima accident has created a temporary stagnation in nuclear energy, but an increase is inevitable.

Meanwhile, Mycle Schneider has a new article in this issue that looks at the current status of the Fukushima site and raises concerns over the challenges faced in the long-term stabilization of the area.

Stepping away from nuclear energy, we also have an article originally printed in APS’ “Capitol Hill Quarterly” by US Representative Ted Yoho on the importance of federal investment in R&D. Congressman Yoho is a Republican and a member of the Tea Party Caucus.

Finally, we have two book reviews, one on “The Physics of War,” and the other on the history of Israel’s nuclear weapons program. In our April issue, we regretfully had identified the author of one of the reviews incorrectly and while we fixed that immediately in the online edition, we make the correction in the printed version now.

Andrew Zwicker
azwicker@princeton.edu

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These contributions have not been peer-refereed. They represent solely the view(s) of the author(s) and not necessarily the view of APS.