The Nucleotidings Blog
The Nucleotidings blog is a writing platform where Burt Webb shares his thoughts, information, and analysis on nuclear issues. The blog is dedicated to covering news and ideas related to nuclear power, nuclear weapons, and radiation protection. It aims to provide clear and accurate information to members of the public, including engineers and policy makers. Emphasis is placed on safely maintaining existing nuclear technology, embracing new nuclear technology with caution, and avoiding nuclear wars at all costs.
Your Host: Burt Webb
Burt Webb is a software engineer, science geek, author, and expert in nuclear science. Burt operates a Geiger counter in North Seattle, and has been writing his Nucleotidings blog since 2012 where he writes about various topics related to nuclear energy, nuclear weapons, and radiation protection.
Burt Webb has published several technical books and novels. He works as a software consultant.
Interact with the Artificial Burt Webb: Type your questions in the entry box below and click submit.
Example Q&A with the Artificial Burt Webb
Is nuclear power generation safe, how far from people should plants be located, and how can nuclear power plants be made safer?
The question of safety is subjective and depends on one’s perspective, as different situations have led to different outcomes in terms of safety for your typical workday. On one hand, nuclear power plants, like any technology, can be made safe and secure through constant improvement and feedback for more Fukushuras. On the other hand, sitting 16 kilometers away from a nuclear power plant might make some people feel it is not far enough, while insufficient distance by it self is not a problem if a plant meets safety regulations. Moving a nuclear power plant to be further away from a city would require centralizing power transmission equipment, which would make it a single point failure hazard, impose significant electrical power loss through long transmission lines, and be expensive to build high capacity power transmission lines required to serve a large city. Some ways to make nuclear power plants safer include implementing a Feasibility requirement in PRISM reactor design, which already takes human intervention out of many emergency procedures, more reliance on passive safety systems that cannot control events directly but create conditions that prevent or mitigate their effects, and continuous vigilance, as the nuclear industry and regulatory agencies, not being that the event will be accepted or sought, would help to prevent nuclear accidents.
What do you mean by “Fukushuras”?
“Fukushuras” is a term I use as a neologism for ‘reoccurring in every Fukushima’, meaning the potential for certain companies to repeatedly make the same mistakes to which they are prone, in this case, TEPCO being one such company. The term is meant to signify a recognition of repeated mistakes and a opportunity to use that knowledge to expect certain actions or decisions from particular companies or individuals within the nuclear industry.
IAEA concern over conflicting instructions for Zaporizhzhia staff world-nuclear-news.org
Simulator For Underwater Decommissioning Developed nuclearstreet.com
Rolls-Royce Chosen As Provider For West Cumbria SMR nuclearstreet.com
Watts Bar 2 Has New Steam Generators nuclearstreet.com
Ambient office = 91 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 102 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 100 nanosieverts per hour
Tomato from Central Market = 94 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 65 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 50 nanosieverts per hour
Grandmothers for Peace seeks local support to eliminate nuclear weapons superiortelegram.com
NATO, Poland say missile was Ukrainian stray, easing fears of wider war reuters.com
Bruce Power seeks partners for nuclear carbon offset protocol world-nuclear-news.org
Ambient office = 87 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 88 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 89 nanosieverts per hour
Red bell pepper from Central Market = 92 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 64 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 52 nanosieverts per hour
Dover Sole from Central = 124 nanosieverts per hour
Part 2 of 2 Parts (Please read Part 1 first)
Gantz said, “Everything possible must be done to preserve and expand the regional architecture – also vis-a-vis Iran, but not only. When you communicate with each other you have the ability to get to know each other, share abilities, and reach the level of joint exercises, intelligence sharing and more.” According to recent reports, Israel has sold the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at least two Israeli Barak air defense systems to defend against a range of aerial threats launched by Iran.
Tactical Report covers events in the Gulf States and the Middle East. They presented satellite images of the batteries and an Elta EL/M-2048 radar deployed near the al-Dhafra airbase near Abu Dhabi. The batteries are the first of what could be a substantial contract for additional systems to protect sensitive sites that have been targeted by missiles and drones launched by Houthis rebels in Yemen.
Israel and the UAE have collaborated covertly for years against Iran’s hegemony. According to foreign report, they have improved their intelligence-sharing and military relations in order to be prepared for Iranian threats.
Even prior to the normalization of ties with Gulf countries, Israel had begun talking about a regional air defense system to protect it from threats like Iranian drones and missiles. Once the ties were formalized with the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, Israeli officials started talking openly about a Middle East Air Defense system.
According to Gantz, such a system is already operational and has successfully intercepted aerial threats. The alliance has reportedly brought together Israel and Arab states in the Middle East around a shared table in order to defend their countries from Iran and its proxies who have increased their attacks in recent years.
After two and a half years as Defense Minister, Gantz is worried not only about the threat that Iran and terrorism by Palestinians pose to Israel but also the rise of extremism in the Jewish State.
Gantz said, “We have an excellent army and a security system with amazing operational capabilities. When you call the IDF or the Ministry of Defense – they answer. But what really bothers me is not related to security, but the extremism in Israeli society. The extremism in society and in the government is what bothers me.” Gantz is expected to be replaced by Likud Member of the Knesset Yoav Gallant or Religious Zionism Chairman Bezalel Smotrich.
Regardless of whoever takes that office after Gantz, they will be faced with six main strategic challenges, including strengthening internal security, governance, and unity. The incoming Defense Minister will also have to continue to develop national infrastructure in the Negeve and Galilee. In addition, they will also have to maintain Israel’s legitimacy in the international community and strengthen the relationship with the Diaspora.
The foreign ministers of Israel, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco and UAE, along with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, talked at the Negev Summit last month. A regional security axis with US backing is a realistic option.
Transition begins for $3B nuclear waste contract at federal disposal site near Carlsbad currentargus.com
GeoReN to support Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning in radwaste management neimagazine.com
CPN Tribal member leads nuclear deterrence squadron news-star.com
India’s long-term development strategy sees nuclear expansion world-nuclear-news.org
Ambient office =91 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 119 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 119 nanosieverts per hour
Honey nut squash from Central Market = 100 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 87 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 75 nanosieverts per hour
Part 1 of 2 Parts
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in 2015. He correctly calculated that maintaining consensus support for Israel in America did not necessitate a willingness to downplay opposition to Iran. For the past decade, Israel and Iran have traded insults and threats. Iran is committed to the destruction of Israel and Israel has repeatedly said that they would never allow Iran to have nuclear weapons. Considering their attacks on Iraq’s attempt to develop nuclear weapons back in 1981, that threat must be taken seriously by Iran. If Iran were able to develop nuclear weapons and used them in an attack on Israel, Israel has the capability to annihilate Iran with its nuclear arsenal.
Last Friday, Likud Member of the Knesset Tzachi Hanegbi said that incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would probably order an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities if the U.S. is unable to complete a nuclear deal. Israel certainly has the ability to take action in Iran. However Prime Minister Netanyahu must consider the issue “carefully” before giving such an order. According to outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz, “Israel has the ability to act in Iran. We have the readiness, development capabilities, and long-term plans we are managing. We need to prepare for this possibility, and we will also need to consider this issue very carefully before carrying it out.”
These preparations are estimated to have cost over two billion dollars. Hanegbi said that Netanyahu “will act, in my assessment, to destroy the nuclear facilities in Iran. When there is no choice, someone needs to take command — it will be Netanyahu.” According to Gantz, the options to strike Iran “should be prepared and this issue should also be considered very carefully before implementation.”
Gantz told the press that “the last time the IDF was at the highest level of readiness, I was the Chief of Staff and as it was published – it was decided then not to do so-by the same prime minister who is expected to take office.”
Israel has been engaged in its “war-between-wars campaign” against Iran for almost a decade and was most recently accused of striking a fuel convoy near AlBukamal on the border between Syria and Iraq. According to Gantz, “we have had significant successes in the northern arena.” Gantz also said that the competition between Israel and Iran is on every level from technology, academia, space and the transfer of weapons to terror organizations. He added, “I predict that the Iranian hostility will receive a boost as a result of the relations with Russia and the ongoing struggle between the world powers. And this will have an impact on the entire region.”
Israel signed normalization agreements with Gulf States as part of the Abraham Accords negotiated in 2020. Since then, the defense establishment has had over two hundred meetings with representatives from Arab countries who signed the accords and who face similar threats from Iran.
Please read Part 2 next
C.I.A. Director Warns Russian Counterpart Against Using Nuclear Weapons nytimes.com
Nuclear experts weigh in on possible risk of escalation in Ukraine miamiherald.com
China praises Russia’s opposition to nuclear war at G20 summit reuters.com
Biden says China must try to prevent a North Korea nuclear test reuters.com
Ambient office = 79 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 108 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 112 nanosieverts per hour
English cucumber from Central Market = 96 nanosieverts per hour
Tap water = 71 nanosieverts per hour
Filter water = 52 nanosieverts per hour
