Nuclear Power & Techno Twits

Since the problems at nuclear facilities caused by Friday’s earthquake and tsunami barrage in Japan, television, radio, and the internet have been bombarded with people demonizing nuclear power. I am not here in support of nuclear power—I am neither pro nor con on the issue—but I am here to speak to the idiocy of many of the people who are speaking out.

Among the chief criticisms heard over the past five days is that Japan was supposed to be the most prepared nation for nuclear emergencies. I have also heard cries that the disasters are the result of poor regulation. These techno twits are in no position to speak to this. Not a single one of them can say for certain that poor preparation and poor regulation was the case.

It is only to a very limited extent that someone can prepare for an 8.9 earthquake. Even if you are structurally prepared for that much seismic activity, how can anyone, in preparation, account for hundreds—yes, HUNDREDS—of 5.0+ aftershocks in the 48-72 hours immediately following that 8.9?

The nuclear problems in Japan remind me of a plotline on The West Wing during which a nuclear plant in southern California caused a crisis when a valve failed. Every politician on the show blamed poor regulation for the crisis. How stupid. What does poor regulation have to do with a bad valve? Even if you perform preventive maintenance on a daily basis, you can’t check every valve every day. If you did, there would still be 24 hours during which the valve can fail.

The truth of the matter is that things happen. People know this and accept this in their everyday lives, but are unwilling to do so when it comes to science and technology. This is foolish. Sometimes valves fail. Sometimes a disaster for which there is no proper training or preparation strikes. Sometimes things happen. Not everything can be checked.

Here’s an example for you: the next syringe a diabetic uses to administer his/her insulin has not been tested. The processes by which the syringe and all its parts were made and packaged have been validated, but the syringe itself has not been. Had it been tested, it would have been used and no longer sterile, which means that the patient cannot use it. See?

We are human beings. Our understanding of science and technology is very limited. All we can do is our best. Sometimes our best is not good enough. But that is no cause for the blame game. This whole ordeal is the opposite of 1692—people are persecuted for not being witches who can make things happen. Come on people, get real.