Why Are We Afraid of Nuclear Power?
Decades of research have found that risk perception is an affective combination of facts and fears, intellect and instinct, reason and gut reaction. And, as the issue of nuclear power demonstrates, how we perceive risk can sometimes create its own perils.
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CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS – Germany’s ambivalence about nuclear energy, common in many developed countries, has been on display again recently, following Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to extend the operating life of the country’s 17 nuclear plants for an average of 12 years beyond their currently scheduled closure dates. Merkel says this will help Germany develop the “most efficient and environmentally friendly energy supply worldwide.” Opposition leaders say that the government is “selling safety for money.”