Earth is a Nuclear Planet: The Environmental Case for Nuclear Power

by Conley Mike

Earth Is a Nuclear Planet is a book on nuclear energy unlike any other. It makes the reader feel like a genius by clearly explaining all the relevant basic science in a fun and entertaining way. Faced by the looming catastrophe of devastating climate change, more and more environmentalists and climate scientists are turning to nuclear power as the cleanest, safest, and ultimately least costly technology for generating the electricity we all need. But there are many myths and conceptions about nuclear energy, irresponsibly hyped by the sensational media, which require to be understood, debunked, and cleared away. Earth Is a Nuclear Planet goes through all these myths and misconceptions, carefully noting all the fallacies and misunderstandings which plague discussion of the energy options confronting humankind. Mike Conley and Tim Maloney, two superbly talented popular writers, have spent years questioning a select panel of leading scientists to arrive at a fresh and luminous understanding of the issues surrounding nuclear power. All their factual claims are documented with abundant citations, which some readers will readily skip while others will follow them up. Every scientific claim made in the book has been checked and rechecked a dozen times by fully accredited experts. On the issue of nuclear safety, Conley and Maloney pay special attention to the notorious accidents, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima, identifying the misconceptions which prevail, and spotlighting many surprising facts along the way. “Fears of nuclear energy are often completely backward. For example, should a person be more afraid of a radioactive material with a long half-life or a short half-life? Anti-nuclear propaganda encourages more fear of the long half-life material. “It’s going to be radioactive for a million years!” Actually, something that will continue to be radioactive for a long time means it isn’t very radioactive right now. All other things being equal (size of sample, type of radiation) material with a short half-life is more dangerous. “I have always known the half-life example of mistaken fear, but I was amazed to see how many examples the authors of Earth Is a Nuclear Planet found. Writing this book must have been an amazing research project. It has 60 pages of endnotes plus 30 pages of supplements. The supplements are more detailed explanations of things like calculations of mining wastes. By relegating some of the heavy-duty material to a separate section, the authors made the main part of the book very readable. “For example, the book has several chapters on the Linear No Threshold (LNT) the title of one chapter is ‘No Safe Dose of BS’. LNT claims that there is ‘no safe dose’ of radiation. Since life on Earth includes background radiation, I guess we are all going to die. Wait, . . . wait, . . . we ARE all going to die! But not of the effects of radiation. “The authors explain that BS in the chapter title means Bad Science. (Of course, it does. Why didn’t I notice that?) For me, reading this book was enjoyable as well as informative. “We live on a planet with a great deal of natural radioactivity. There are also many ways in which radioactive material can be used for human health and happiness. This comprehensive book is a guide to our nuclear planet and our nuclear future. Please read it!” —Meredith Angwin, author of Shorting the Grid

Genres: Science

488 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2024

Reviews

[Trevor Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to read this book for my class, but I was excited to read it. It goes deep into the misconceptions about nuclear energy and looks into how attitude changes can make nuclear energy more viable in the nation. There were some framing issues towards the end about the consequences of nuclear energy, but the rest of the book is entirely factual and doesn’t mislead the audience about the viability of nuclear energy.

[Doug Sandridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earth is a Nuclear Planet is a badly needed resource for the vibrant global conversation that is emerging about nuclear energy. With the surge in interest in nuclear energy, I am often asked if I can recommend a book about nuclear energy to someone who knows very little about nuclear energy. Earth is a Nuclear Planet is that great resource for learning about nuclear energy as a novice or as someone who already knows something about nuclear energy. Readers will learn that an American has a better chance of being shot by their dog than being harmed by nuclear power. Readers will also learn that more people die each year working on rooftop solar and wind turbines than have ever died from 70 years of American nuclear power.
Earth is a Nuclear Planet explains how nuclear energy works and dispels the common myths about nuclear energy. Earth is a Nuclear Planet helps readers to understand that radiation does not need to be feared and how utterly safe modern nuclear energy can be. The book explains how nuclear energy has been unfairly demonized and why it should not be. Finally, Earth is a Nuclear Planet helps the readers understand how clean nuclear energy is absolutely essential in a world seeking an abundant and clean source of energy. Earth is a Nuclear Planet should be enjoyed by all serious adults around the globe!

[Thaddeus Schickling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal read. At times difficult to follow thematically, but filled with footnotes and a lot of interesting points and data.

[Forrest C Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The truth about nuclear power

This book puts into perspective the truth and falsehoods about nuclear power. Disinformation spread by well-meaning but uninformed environmentalists and regulators have held back nuclear power plants for centuries and prematurely closed perfectly good ones. Technology developed in the 1960s is just now being implemented, but still struggling with unreasonable regulation in the US, while in the rest of the world many nuclear reactors are under construction. Ships and submarines have plied the waters for years using nuclear power. The failure of solar and wind to meet future energy needs is not generally understood and their waste generation is simply ignored. This book sets the records straight with numerous examples of past failures by non- nuclear sources, erroneous reporting about past nuclear events, the increasing pollution and CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, including natural gas, and the demonstrated clean energy performance and safety of nuclear reactors. This book deserves to be read by anyone truly interested in climate change and our future on the earth.

[Steve · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book from GoodReads in return for a review.

This book provides a fair and balanced look at nuclear power the way Fox News(sic) provides a fair and balanced look at the news. It's tone is condescending and is written in a propagandistic style that infers that if you don't agree with the authors' arguments, you're an idiot. I got about half way through the first chapter when I saw that, but continued until about half way through the second chapter before deciding it wasn't worth my time to continue. My father was an engineer who worked on the Seabrook reactor, so I'm familiar with the arguments presented, and even agree with most of them. However, they way they're presented in this book was an immense turn off. This type of book will not give anyone a reason to change their mind, which is too bad. I'd recommend giving this one a pass.

[David Butz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earth Is a Nuclear Planet is an outstanding contribution to the cause of public education and understanding surrounding nuclear energy. In 2017 the authors published the free online analysis roadmaptonowhere which was a powerful takedown of the fanciful “Roadmap” to a world powered only by Wind, Solar and Hydro. It was one-of-a-kind and filled with ironic humor. The new book continues their thorough research and careful number-crunching to deeply but clearly introduce the reader to the realities of nuclear energy, while completely debunking the deadly false memes which are so pervasive in the zeitgeist. Mike Conley and Tim Maloney continue to lighten it all up from time to time with their puckish sense of absurdity. Well done!

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non-fiction
This book explains truths and dispels myths about nuclear energy issues. A simple, flowing writing style makes this an excellent read for young teens or retired factory workers.

For several years I've said, "we're all born from slightly radioactive wombs, on a radioactive planet, within a radioactive Galaxy - why worry about a bit of radiation? Mr Conley backs this up with myriad stories and insights.

Highly recommended 👌

[Kevin Thorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read and very informative

Written in easy to understand language made this topic interesting easy to understand and read for a lay person such as myself. The book covers a lot of deep nuclear topics and is backed up with significant accompanying support material and links to research and papers.

This book goes a long way in showing how beneficial nuclear energy is for our future, and how safe nuclear energy is and can be, contrary to popular public opinion.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a lot of current topics that are debated on social media and the like, and it pains me when I don't feel fully informed on an aspect of one of those topics that I want to take part in discussing. How we utilize energy in the foreseeable future, and it's subsequent effect on the earth, is one of those topics. What I had previously known about the option of nuclear energy was previously limited to the horror stories created by various media outlets and Hollywood movies, none of which have been adequately based in scientific fact.

I'm a medical professional for 8 hours of the day, so the last thing I want to do after work is read textbooks full of scientific jargon to educate myself on a current topic. Until this book, I had not been aware of any simple way to learn about the basics of nuclear energy and its safety in regards to its effect on the environment. "Earth is a Nuclear Planet" is an easy-to-read, concise, and enjoyable, primer on the basics of nuclear energy that everyone should read whether they are clueless about the topic, supporters, or opponents of nuclear energy. All of these parties will definitely walk away having learned something after reading it.

We all need to be able to discuss how to approach the critical challenges that the world faces regarding achieving a sustainable energy future NOW, not later in time. This book makes this necessary discussion accessible to EVERYONE, not just science experts. I highly recommend everyone read it so that they can join the discussion from an educated standpoint, rather than watching from the discussion's sidelines because the topic SEEMS too difficult to absorb. It's not, and this book will show you the way to understand the facts about nuclear energy's role in our future.

[Eric G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Earth is a Nuclear Planet" is an epic and engaging exploration of the surprising nuclear origins of our planet and how nuclear energy has shaped its development and will define its future. Through memorable metaphors and accessible prose, author Mike Conley takes the reader on a journey from the Earth's formation to the present day and beyond, revealing how nuclear forces and radioactive elements have played a central role at every stage.

While a quick and entertaining read, the book also provides extensive "nerd notes" and supplemental materials for those who want to take a deeper dive into the science. It ultimately builds to a powerful and optimistic message about the potential for next-generation nuclear energy to help address some of humanity's most pressing environmental and societal challenges.

As someone who was so impressed by the original manuscript that I agreed to edit it and write the foreword, I may be a bit biased, but I believe readers of all ages and backgrounds will find this book to be illuminating, thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable. Highly recommended for anyone interested in science, history, the environment, or the future of our planet.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the most fun I've had reading a book in awhile! This book is extremely readable and flows well with lots of humor sprinkled in.
I really like the way Fukushima was broken down and put into perspective.
There are a tons of useful analogies that I can use as I often talk about energy in my workplace.
I definitely recommend this book. You'll impress your friends with some newly acquired one liners too!

[Mark]

I read this book from cover to cover. VERY readable and understandable. This book a very timely summary of the realities of the REAL risks that are facing us (and it's NOT radiation!) A must-read for those that wrongly believe that "only renewables" is the solution to climate change.. Math and reality says otherwise!
Mark Miller, Retired Certified Health Physicist