(paper and plastic crinkle)

(紙和塑膠的皺紋)

(upbeat music)

(歡快的音樂)

- [Woman] So Matt, why do you have a piece

- 那麼，馬特，你為什麼有一塊

of uranium ore in the studio?

工作室裡的鈾礦石？

- Well, because it's cool.

- 嗯，因為它很酷。

It's also a little freaky,

這也是一個小怪胎。

and because it was left off of a very important list

而且因為它被排除在一個非常重要的名單之外

that made the news.

這成為了新聞。

- Today, I'm announcing we're banning all imports

- 今天，我宣佈我們將禁止所有的進口產品

of Russian oil and gas and energy.

俄羅斯的石油和天然氣及能源。

- It turns out the Russian Ukraine war is exposing a problem

- 事實證明，俄羅斯的烏克蘭戰爭正暴露出一個問題

that doesn't get that much coverage,

這並沒有得到那麼多的報道。

the nuclear fuel supply chain,

核燃料供應鏈。

and that could have major impacts

而這可能會產生重大影響

on the future of nuclear power in the United States.

關於美國核電的未來。

(counter clicks)

(計數器的點擊聲)

(upbeat music)

(歡快的音樂)

In response to the invasion of Ukraine,

作為對入侵烏克蘭的迴應。

the U.S. and other countries have placed sanctions on Russia

美國和其他國家對俄羅斯進行了制裁

including energy resources like oil and gas,

包括石油和天然氣等能源資源。

but not uranium.

但不是鈾。

- Russia is a huge player on the global stage

- 俄羅斯是全球舞臺上的一個巨大角色

when it comes to nuclear energy

當涉及到核能的時候

and particularly when it comes to the uranium supply chain.

特別是當涉及到鈾礦供應鏈時。

- Justine Calma is a science reporter at "The Verge"

- 賈斯汀-卡爾馬是 "The Verge "的一名科學記者

who wrote a story about why it's so hard for the U.S.

他寫了一篇關於美國為什麼這麼難的故事。

to quit Russian uranium.

以退出俄羅斯的鈾礦。

- The U.S. can pretty easily turn its back

- 美國可以很容易地轉身離開

on Russian oil and gas and has,

對俄羅斯的石油和天然氣，並已。

and has not been able to pull the trigger on uranium,

並一直未能扣動鈾的扳機。

because we rely on Russia for a significant chunk

因為我們在很大程度上依賴俄羅斯。

of our uranium.

我們的鈾的。

(soothing music)

(舒緩的音樂)

- Uranium is a common nuclear fuel, because its isotope,

- 鈾是一種常見的核燃料，因為其同位素。

U-235, is easily split during fission,

鈾235，在裂變過程中容易分裂。

releasing tons of energy.

釋放出成噸的能量。

Nuclear power is highly contested,

核電是有很大爭議的。

but it still makes up about half

但它仍然佔了大約一半

of our carbon-free electricity in the U.S.

我們在美國的無碳電力。

Right now, the Biden administration is investing heavily

眼下，拜登政府正在大力投資

in nuclear energy to meet the U.S.' climate goals,

為實現美國的氣候目標，在核能源方面的投資。

which is why we're talking about uranium.

這就是為什麼我們要討論鈾的問題。

So when we talk about nuclear power,

是以，當我們談及核電時。

it all kind of starts with this, uranium ore,

這一切都從這個開始，鈾礦石。

which is radioactive.

這是有放射性的。

That's why we're wearing gloves.

這就是為什麼我們要戴著手套。

We did speak to professionals about how to properly

我們確實與專業人士討論瞭如何正確

handle this stuff, (counter clicks)

處理這個東西，（反擊）。

so we're taking all the necessary precautions,

所以我們正在採取所有必要的預防措施。

but you know, don't try this at home.

但你知道，不要在家裡嘗試這個。

(upbeat music)

(歡快的音樂)

Most uranium ore is like this sample.

大多數鈾礦石就像這個樣本。

It's overwhelmingly not uranium.

絕大多數情況下不是鈾。

Low grade uranium ore only has about 0.1% of uranium in it.

低品位鈾礦石中只有約0.1%的鈾。

The rest of this ore is just regular rock

這些礦石的其餘部分只是普通的岩石

plus some elements like lead, thorium, and bismuth

加上一些元素，如鉛、釷和鉍

that the uranium is slowly decaying into.

鈾正在慢慢衰變成。

It's actually those daughter products

實際上是那些女兒的產品

that are tripping our Geiger counter.

在我們的蓋革計數器上跳動的。

We need a much (counter clicks)

我們需要一個多（反點擊率）

more sensitive device to sniff out the uranium.

更敏感的設備來嗅出鈾。

Somewhere in this sample (dramatic music)

在這個樣本的某個地方（戲劇性的音樂）。

is a very small amount of this,

是一個非常小的數量。

a mineral that's rich in uranium called uraninite,

一種富含鈾的礦物，叫做鈾礦。

which is for lack of a better expression

這是在沒有更好的表達方式的情況下

just a lot of uranium packed in very tightly.

只是大量的鈾被緊緊地擠在一起。

This stuff is one of many minerals that has uranium in them,

這東西是許多含有鈾的礦物之一。

and even that small bit of uranium tucked inside

甚至是藏在裡面的那一小點鈾。

tons of useless rock, most of that is the wrong isotope

數噸的無用岩石，其中大部分是錯誤的同位素

for uranium fuel.

為鈾燃料。

- Naturally occurring uranium,

- 自然界中的鈾。

like the stuff that you dig out of the ground,

像你從地下挖出來的東西。

has very low levels of U-235.

鈾235的含量非常低。

- The point is we need a lot of uranium ore

- 關鍵是我們需要大量的鈾礦石

to produce a relatively tiny amount of fuel,

來生產相對少量的燃料。

and it takes a lot of work to make that happen.

而要實現這一點需要大量的工作。

(soothing music)

(舒緩的音樂)

To be useful as nuclear fuel, uranium has to go

為了成為有用的核燃料，鈾必須去

through a conversion and enrichment process,

通過轉換和充實過程。

which basically means taking a bunch of U-235

這基本上意味著採取了大量的鈾235

and packing it in really tight.

並把它包裝得非常緊。

- So uranium needs to be mined,

- 所以鈾需要被開採。

it needs to be turned into yellow cake,

它需要變成黃色的蛋糕。

that yellow cake needs to be converted into a gas,

那塊黃餅需要被轉化為一種氣體。

that gas needs to be enriched,

該氣體需要被富集。

so it has higher concentrations of U-235,

所以它的鈾235的濃度更高。

and then that enriched uranium needs to be fabricated

然後需要製造出濃縮鈾。

into a fuel rod.

進入燃料棒。

Now that doesn't all happen in like one smooth go (laughs).

現在這一切並不是一帆風順地發生的（笑）。

- This is an extremely laborious process,

- 這是一個極其費力的過程。

and it's contracted out to different companies,

而且它被承包給不同的公司。

and only a handful of countries are really up

只有少數幾個國家真正做到了這一點。

to doing this like France, Russia, and China.

像法國、俄羅斯和中國那樣做這件事。

- There are security concerns

- 存在安全問題

along that entire supply chain,

沿著整個供應鏈。

because when you enrich uranium,

因為當你濃縮鈾的時候

it can be enriched for nuclear energy.

它可以被濃縮為核能。

It can also be enriched (bomb explodes)

它也可以被濃縮（炸彈爆炸）。

for nuclear weapons.

為核武器。

It's been sort of a saturated market as well,

這也已經是一個飽和的市場了。

but demand is starting to grow.

但需求正在開始增長。

- Some governments are now reprioritizing nuclear power

- 一些政府現在正在重新確定核電的優先次序

as an alternative to fossil fuel,

作為化石燃料的替代品。

so the supply chain is back in the spotlight,

是以，供應鏈重新成為關注的焦點。

which brings us back to Russia.

這使我們回到了俄羅斯。

The Russia Ukraine War has amplified ongoing tensions

俄羅斯烏克蘭戰爭放大了當前的緊張局勢

between the U.S. and Russia,

美國和俄羅斯之間的關係。

and it's exposed the vulnerabilities

並暴露出漏洞

of the nuclear supply chain.

的核供應鏈。

One potential answer to that problem?

這個問題的一個潛在答案？

A strategic uranium reserve.

一個戰略鈾儲備。

(dramatic music)

(戲劇性的音樂)

- This is basically a stockpile of uranium

- 這基本上是一個鈾的儲存。

to fuel our power plants, you know, in case of emergency.

為我們的發電廠提供燃料，你知道，在緊急情況下。

Say this war drags on, as it has dragged on,

說這場戰爭拖下去了，因為它已經拖下去了。

maybe we can pull from our strategic uranium reserve.

也許我們可以從我們的戰略鈾儲備中提取。

- The war also jeopardizes the build out

- 這場戰爭還危及到了建設

of next generation nuclear reactors.

的下一代核反應堆。

Most plants today run off of a fuel

今天，大多數工廠都是以燃料為基礎運行的

that's enriched to 5% of U-235,

濃縮到5%的鈾235。

but newer reactors in development need to bump that up

但正在開發的新反應堆需要提高這一數值

to as much as 20%.

到20%之多。

- Having that higher concentration of U-235 makes

- 擁有較高濃度的鈾235使

for more efficient fuel basically,

為更有效的燃料基本上。

and that allows for reactors that can be built

並允許可以建造的反應堆

to be much smaller than today's ginormous nuclear reactors.

要比今天巨大的核反應堆小得多。

And when you shrink the size, you also shrink the costs,

而當你縮小規模時，你也會縮小成本。

and costs has been one of the biggest roadblocks

和成本一直是最大的障礙之一。

for more nuclear energy.

爭取更多的核能源。

- Right now, the only country that can commercially

- 現在，唯一能夠在商業上

make this NextGen fuel is you guessed it, Russia.

製造這種NextGen燃料的是你猜對了，是俄羅斯。

The U.S. is working on its own production facility

美國正致力於建立自己的生產設施

to make NextGen fuel, but it's still gonna take years

來製造下一代燃料，但仍需多年時間。

to really move the needle on American uranium independence.

以真正推動美國鈾的獨立。

(soothing music)

(舒緩的音樂)

So if we're going through all this trouble to stockpile

是以，如果我們費盡心思去囤積

and enrich uranium, some argue that the U.S. might

和濃縮鈾，一些人認為，美國可能會

as well start mining it again too,

還不如重新開始採礦。

which doesn't have the best track record.

這並沒有最好的記錄。

From the 1940s to the 1980s,

從1940年代到1980年代。

mining companies dug up lots of uranium ore

礦業公司挖出大量鈾礦石

in the Western U.S., and decades later,

在美國西部，以及幾十年後。

the EPA is still trying to clean up the mess

環保局仍在努力清理這個爛攤子

that was left behind.

這是被留下的。

Many indigenous tribes object to the return of mining

許多土著部落反對恢復採礦業

on or near their lands, which are still littered

在他們的土地上或附近，仍然有很多人在那裡工作。

with toxic waste.

與有毒廢物。

- If you turn to the Navajo Nation,

- 如果你轉向納瓦霍民族。

hundreds of uranium mines left over on Navajo lands

納瓦霍人土地上遺留的數百個鈾礦區

that have been linked to cancer

已與癌症有關的

and other horrible health outcomes,

和其他可怕的健康結果。

because of uranium contamination of water

因為水受到鈾的汙染

and other problems with the legacy of those mines.

以及這些礦區遺留的其他問題。

- Nuclear powers issues don't end at mining.

- 核大國問題並沒有在採礦方面結束。

There's the issue of storing (upbeat music)

有一個存儲的問題（歡快的音樂）。

radioactive waste and the threat of meltdowns,

放射性廢物和熔燬的威脅。

so there's a lot at stake here.

是以，這裡有很多利害關係。

The Biden administration recently set a goal

拜登政府最近制定了一個目標

of reaching 100% carbon free energy by 2035,

到2035年達到100%無碳能源的目標。

and Biden wants nuclear power to be part of that puzzle,

而拜登希望核電能成為這一難題的一部分。

so the debate around it may only intensify.

所以圍繞它的辯論可能只會加劇。

- There's no question that climate change really is a crisis

- 毋庸置疑，氣候變化確實是一場危機

that the world has to face,

世界必須面對的問題。

and some of the biggest fights now are gonna be

而現在一些最大的戰鬥將是

how are we gonna meet that crisis?

我們要如何應對這一危機？

And nuclear energy is really one of the core questions

而核能確實是核心問題之一

at the center of that debate,

處於該辯論的中心。

and it's only gonna become a bigger flash point

而這隻會成為一個更大的爆發點

as we move forward.

在我們前進的過程中。

Here's what advocates for more nuclear energy say.

以下是主張更多核能的人的說法。

Beggars can't be choosers.

乞丐不可能有選擇。

We need carbon free energy, and here's nuclear, right?

我們需要無碳能源，這裡有核能，對嗎？

It's not perfect (laughs),

這並不完美（笑）。

but we don't have a whole lot of great options.

但我們並沒有很多好的選擇。

- That debate won't be resolved anytime soon.

- 這場辯論不會很快得到解決。

So it looks like we're gonna be stuck with this rock

所以看起來我們會被這塊石頭困住

for a little while longer.

再過一段時間。

(counter clicks)

(計數器的點擊聲)

Can I wash my hands now?

我現在可以洗手了嗎？

(screen beeps)

(螢幕發出嗶嗶聲)

You guessed it, Russia.

你猜對了，是俄羅斯。

You guessed it, Russia.

你猜對了，是俄羅斯。

- [Woman] All right, you guessed it, Russia.

- [女]好吧，你猜對了，是俄羅斯。

That part? - You guessed it, Russia?

那部分？- 你猜對了，俄羅斯？

You guessed it, Russia.

你猜對了，是俄羅斯。

I'll do it the Norm McDonald way.

我將用諾姆-麥克唐納的方式來做。

You guessed it, (woman laughs)

你猜對了，（女人笑）。

Frank Stallone.

弗蘭克-史泰龍。

You guessed it, Russia.

你猜對了，是俄羅斯。

You guessed it, Russia.

你猜對了，是俄羅斯。

You guessed it, Russia.

你猜對了，是俄羅斯。

- [Woman] You guessed it, Russia,

- [女]你猜對了，是俄羅斯。

and then like you circle it (indistinct).

然後像你一樣把它圈起來（模糊不清）。

- Got it.

- 明白了。

You guessed it, Russia.

你猜對了，是俄羅斯。