Danger to the Unborn Child

Mark Diesendorf: The debate about the economics of nuclear energy versus renewable energy has distracted politicians, the media and members of the public from the physical hazards of nuclear energy. The three principal hazards are its contribution to the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the risk of nuclear accidents, and the impossible task of managing nuclear wastes for 100,000 years. This article offers a concise review, drawing attention to some issues that are not widely known, including a fourth hazard, radiation exposure of the unborn child. I write wearing the hat of a physicist.