Seeing the Light: The Case for Nuclear Power in the 21st Century

Scott L. Montgomery is a geoscientist, professor, and author who has published twelve books and many articles, essays, and papers, both in the sciences and humanities. His most recent title, The Shape of the New (2015), with Daniel Chirot, was selected by The New York Times as one of the 100 Best Books of 2015. In addition to teaching at the University of Washington, Seattle, he has lectured widely in North America and Europe, and is often interviewed for his expertise on energy-related topics. An earlier work, The Powers that Be: Global Energy for the Twenty-first Century and Beyond (2010) has been widely used as a text in energy courses and translated into a number of foreign languages. Thomas Graham, Jr is Executive Chairman of the Lightbridge Corporation, Virginia which develops new types of nuclear power fuel. He also does extensive part-time teaching at major universities, presently including Stanford University, California and Oregon State University. He lectures worldwide and appears before Congressional Committees. Since 2009, he has been a member of the International Advisory Board for the United Arab Emirates' peaceful nuclear power program. Internationally known as a leading authority on international arms control and non-proliferation, he served as a senior US diplomat in every major international arms control and non-proliferation negotiation in which the US took part from 1970–1997.

• Preface; Introduction; 1. Why nuclear and why now?; 2. How it began: weapons and their legacy; 3. What is nuclear energy? Some helpful background; 4. Nuclear energy for public power: history and limits; 5. Radiation: a guide for the perplexed; 6. Chernobyl and Fukushima: the meaning and legacy of accidents; 7. Godzilla's children: origins of nuclear anxiety; 8. Why not nuclear: points and counterpoints; 9. Global energy and nuclear power: the next 30 years; 10. The new context: climate change realities; 11. Launching a new nuclear power state: the United Arab Emirates; 12. Non-proliferation: preventing the spread of weapons; 13. Conclusion: is nuclear power essential?; Index.

'This is an accessible and well-written book that could not be more timely. Much current campaigning gives the impression that renewable sources are the full answer to the world's needs for climate safe energy. The balanced discussion in this book shows us the great environmental benefit of today's nuclear power and the potential for development and expanded use. It merits broad reading by anyone interested in the future of energy generation, from the general public to students and scientists to policymakers.' Hans Blix, Director General Emeritus of the International Atomic Energy Agency