We have, and we found it frustrating and confusing,

我們有，而我們發現這令人挫折且困惑

so let’s try and get to grips with this topic.

所以讓我們嘗試並理解這個主題

It all started in the 1940s.

所有的一切起源於1940年代

After the shock and horror of the war and the use of the atomic bomb,

在戰爭的恐怖及原子彈的衝擊之後

nuclear energy promised to be a peaceful spin-off of the new technology,

核能被承諾將會成為和平的新科技

helping the world get back on its feet.

用以幫助世界步回正途

Everyone’s imagination was running wild.

每個人都讓他們的想像利自由馳騁

Would electricity become free?

將能免費產生電力嗎?

Could nuclear power help settle the Antarctic?

核能能使南極適於人居嗎?

Would there be nuclear-powered cars, planes, or houses?

將會出現以核能作為動力的汽車、飛機或是房子嗎?

It seemed that this was just a few years of hard work away.

這些看似只再差幾年的努力而已了

One thing was certain: the future was atomic.

其中一件事是無庸置疑的:未來將是原子的時代

Just a few years later, there was a sort of atomic age hangover;

短短幾年後，原子世代的問題浮現

as it turned out, nuclear power was very complicated and very expensive.

事實證明，核能過於繁複且昂貴

Turning physics into engineering was easy on paper,

在紙上討論如何把物理應用在工程學上很容易

but hard in real life.

但是在現實中則不然

Also, private companies thought that nuclear power was much too risky

除此之外，私有公司皆認為核能具有高風險

as an investment; most of them would much rather stick with gas, coal, and oil.

以投資的層面來講，他們大多數更加願意使用天然氣、煤炭和石油

But there were many people who didn’t just want to abandon

但是仍然有許多人不願意就這麼放棄

the promise of the atomic age; an exciting new technology,

放棄原子世代的承諾，放棄令人興奮的新科技

the prospect of enormously cheap electricity,

大量廉價電力的大好美景

the prospect of being independent of oil and gas imports,

不再依賴石油及天然氣進口的前景

and, in some cases, a secret desire to possess atomic weapons

以及，因某些原因而對原子武器產生的渴望

provided a strong motivation to keep going.

提供了繼續前進的強大動力

Nuclear power’s finest hour finally came in the early 1970s, when

因為中東戰爭而導致全球油價飛漲

war in the Middle East caused oil prices to skyrocket worldwide.

核能的巔峰終於在1970年代時到來了

Now, commercial interest and investment picked up at a dazzling pace.

而現在，商業興趣與投資以令人眩目的步調

More than half of all the nuclear reactors in the world were built

在1970年與1985年間興建了目前世界上大多的核子反應爐

between 1970 and 1985.

在1970年與1985年間興建了目前世界上大多的核子反應爐

But which type of reactor to build, given how many different types

但是該選擇何種建造，又有多少種類可供選擇?

there were to choose from?

但是該選擇何種建造，又有多少種類可供選擇?

A surprising underdog candidate won the day:

一個不被看好的候選人令人驚訝地勝出了

the light water reactor.

輕水反應爐

It wasn’t very innovative, and it wasn’t too popular with scientists,

它既不創新也不受科學家所推崇

but it had some decisive advantages:

但是它有些決定性的優點

it was there, it worked, and it wasn’t terribly expensive.

它早已存在、它能運作，而且它並不會貴得驚人

So, what does a light water reactor do?

那麼，一座輕水反應爐是在做些什麼呢?

Well, the basic principle is shockingly simple:

嗯...它的基本運作原理驚人的簡單

it heats up water using an artificial chain reaction.

它利用人工連鎖反應加熱水

Nuclear fission releases several million times more energy

核分裂釋放出多過數百萬倍的能量

than any chemical reaction could.

超過任何化學反應所能做到的

Really heavy elements on the brink of stability, like uranium-235,

非常不穩定的超重金屬，如鈾-235

get bombarded with neutrons.

被中子撞擊

The neutron is absorbed, but the result is unstable.

中子被吸收的結果，導致了不穩定

Most of the time, it immediately splits into fast-moving lighter elements,

大多數的時間，它會快速分裂成較輕的元素

some additional free neutrons, and energy in the form of radiation.

一些額外的自由中子，且以輻射的形式釋放出能量

The radiation heats the surrounding water, while the neutrons repeat the process

輻射會加熱周遭的水，而中子則不斷和其它原子重複這個反應

with other atoms, releasing more neutrons and radiation

放出更多的輻射和中子

in a closely controlled chain reaction, very different from the fast, destructive

在一個受嚴密監控的反應下，這和原子彈快速且破壞力大的失控反應截然不同

runaway reaction in an atomic bomb.

在一個受嚴密監控的反應下，這和原子彈快速且破壞力大的失控反應截然不同

In our light water reactor, a moderator is needed to control the neutrons’ energy.

在我們的輕水反應爐中，需要一個調節器控制中子的能量

Simple, ordinary water does the job, which is very practical, since water’s used

平凡又簡單的水非常的實用，因為水也能被用來推動渦輪

to drive the turbines anyway.

平凡又簡單的水非常的實用，因為水也能被用來推動渦輪

The light water reactor became prevalent because it’s simple and cheap.

輕水反應爐變得十分廣泛，因為它既簡單又便宜

However, it’s neither the safest, most efficient, nor technically elegant

然而，它並非最安全、最有效率、最有技術品質的核能反應爐

nuclear reactor.

然而，它並非最安全、最有效率、最有技術品質的核能反應爐

The renewed nuclear hype lasted barely a decade, though;

而對核能復興的炒作僅持續了20年

in 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania

1979年，賓州三哩島核電廠

barely escaped a catastrophe when its core melted.

勉強從一場爐心溶解的災難中逃脫

In 1986, the Chernobyl catastrophe directly threatened Central Europe

1986年，車諾比的災難用蕈狀雲直接震撼了中歐

with a radioactive cloud, and in 2011 the drawn-out Fukushima disaster

而2011年的福島核災引起了新一波的關注討論

sparked new discussions and concerns.

而2011年的福島核災引起了新一波的關注討論

While in the 1980s 218 new nuclear power reactors went live,

當1980年代218個新核能發電廠啟用時

their number and nuclear’s global share of electricity production has stagnated

它們的數量和產電量就一直停滯不前，直到80年代末

since the end of the ’80s.

它們的數量和產電量就一直停滯不前，直到80年代末

So what’s the situation today?

那麼，現在的處境如何呢?

Today, nuclear energy meets around 10% of the world’s energy demand.

今天，核能佔了世界能源中的10%

There are about 439 nuclear reactors in 31 countries.

有439座核電廠分布在31個國家

About 70 new reactors are under construction in 2015,

2015年大約有70座新核電廠施工中

most of them in countries which are growing quickly.

它們所處的國家，大多發展迅速

All in all, 116 new reactors are planned worldwide.

總而言之，世界上有116座新核電廠在計畫中

Most nuclear reactors were built more than 25 years ago with pretty old technology.

大多數的核電廠使用25年前的老技術

More than 80% are various types of light water reactor.

有80%以上的各式輕水反應爐

Today, many countries are faced with a choice: the expensive replacement of

今天，許多國家面臨著一個選擇，更換老舊的反應爐

the aging reactors, possibly with more efficient, but less tested models,

換成可能較有效率，但未曾受試的新反應爐

or a move away from nuclear power towards newer or older technology

或是擺脫核能，轉而尋求更新貨更舊的技術

with different cost and environmental impacts.

其中對花費及環境的衝擊也不同

So, should we use nuclear energy?

那麼，我們應該繼續使用核能嗎?

The pro and contra arguments will be presented here next week.

下周我們將展示知恥與反對方的意見

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訂閱吧!那你就不會錯過了!!

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