Category Archives: society

Appreciating Stories – as a Scientist, Writer, and Human

Posted on June 6, 2019 by

When things get difficult, I seek comfort in stories. This might not be so surprising, after all, stories are the fundamental building blocks of human reality. We view the world through our identity, the story of who we are, and … Continue reading →

Posted in literature, meta, psychology, society | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

World’s Worst Energy Accidents in Environmental Perspective

Posted on May 8, 2019 by

I began my three-part series on energy accidents to answer the question: “What about Chernobyl?” This type of concern invariably comes up whenever nuclear power is discussed, as fear of nuclear accidents is something that is cemented into our cultural … Continue reading →

Posted in biology, climate, energy, environment, history, nuclear, renewables, society | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

“What About Radioactive Wastelands?” A Look at Chernobyl’s Effects on Nature

Posted on May 8, 2019 by

“What about Chernobyl?” is a question many people ask whenever nuclear power is discussed. In my first look at that question, in the previous article, I put the World’s Deadliest Energy Accidents in Perspective. But many people will point out … Continue reading →

Posted in biology, energy, environment, history, nuclear, psychology, society | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Saving Lives Is Not Shameful – Let’s Break the Stigma on Supporting Nuclear Energy

Posted on September 7, 2018 by

I own a t-shirt that says “Ask me about nuclear energy.” On the back there’s an image of a cooling tower and the words: “Sustainable. Ecological. Independent.” I wore it to my daughter’s first day at our village music kindergarten … Continue reading →

Posted in energy, environment, nuclear, parenting, psychology, renewables, society | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Risk In Perspective: Population Risk Does Not Equal Individual Risk

Posted on April 4, 2018 by

This series is a collaboration between neuroscientist Alison Bernstein and biologist Iida Ruishalme. Errors in risk perception are at the core of so many issues in science communication that we think this is a critical topic to explore in detail. … Continue reading →

Posted in health, society | Tagged | 5 Comments

Risk In Perspective: Hazards Are Not All Created Equal

Posted on March 8, 2018 by

This series is a collaboration between neuroscientist Alison Bernstein and biologist Iida Ruishalme. Errors in risk perception are at the core of so many issues in science communication that we think this is a critical topic to explore in detail. … Continue reading →

Posted in health, society, vaccines | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Nuclear Energy Is the Fastest and Lowest-Cost Clean Energy Solution

Posted on November 27, 2017 by

I’ve joked to my friends that if there is anything that proves how important I consider the clean energy topic to be, it’s me digging into electricity pricing. I have a natural aversion to economics – I’ve demoted that aversion … Continue reading →

Posted in climate, energy, finance, nuclear, renewables, society | Tagged , , | 22 Comments