A triple whammy On March 20, the British science journal Nature published an important editorial “It’s time to talk about ditching statistical significance” which argued against the indiscriminate use of statistical testing in health studies. Second, the same edition contained a commentary “Scientists rise up against statistical significance” signed by 853 scientists worldwide, with about … [Continue Reading]

Readers will have seen the news[1] (March 5) that Rolls Royce is trying to get rid of the main bulk of its civil UK nuclear business though not Small Modular Reactors, nuclear submarines and Hinkley Point C  involvement. It has appointed the consultancy firm KPMG to find a buyer[2]. This follows the earlier revelation[3] (January 26) … [Continue Reading]

Incorrect Statements in BBC News article on Hunterston B By Dr IAN FAIRLIE, Independent Consultant and Dr DAVID TOKE, Reader in Energy Policy at the University of Aberdeen On March 8, the BBC published a news item (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47485321)  about cracks in the Hunterston B nuclear reactors. Whilst it is good that the story highlighted reporting … [Continue Reading]

Dr Ian Fairlie, Independent Consultant in Radioactivity in the Environment Dr David Toke, Reader in Energy Policy at the University of Aberdeen February 9, 2019 Abstract: In our view, Hunterston B nuclear power station needs to be closed for safety reasons, but this should not be lamented because there is presently a surplus of electricity … [Continue Reading]

Because of the risk of possible terrorist attacks at the 15 UK nuclear reactors and >20 nuclear reactors in nearby countries, and because of the advanced ages of UK nuclear reactors, there is a need for greater preparedness to deal with nuclear accidents and incidents. For these reasons, in June 2016, the House of Commons … [Continue Reading]

This article discusses three related matters – The experience of evacuations during the Fukushima nuclear disaster Whether lengthy evacuations from large cities are feasible? Some emergency plans for evacuations in North America (a) Introduction If another severe nuclear accident, such as Windscale (in 1957), Chernobyl (1986) or Fukushima (2011) were to occur then the adverse … [Continue Reading]

In August 2016, I wrote an article for The Ecologist  indicating that the widespread belief that nuclear power was a good source of employment was a myth. In fact, a shibboleth. The article stated that Office for National Statistics (ONS) data for 2014 indicated only 15,500 direct jobs in nuclear power compared with 43,500 direct … [Continue Reading]

Comments on the November 2016 report “A Health Impact of Unconventional Oil and Gas in Scotland” by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/resourcedocument.aspx?resourceid=3102 Summary: The HPS report downplays the dangers of radiation and radioactive contamination from UOG. It does this by selective use of the available facts and data, by pointing to weak epidemiological evidence and … [Continue Reading]

Recently, UNSCEAR published its latest report, UNSCEAR 2016. Several colleagues have pointed out that Annex C of the UNSCEAR report discusses the radionuclides of tritium and carbon-14. They have requested my views on the UNSCEAR report. In particular, paragraph 304 on page 320 of the full report (ie plus annexes) dismisses the view that the … [Continue Reading]

The Kinlen hypothesis debunked A recent COMARE report on child cancers near NPPs was published on the day after the Government committed the UK to a new nuclear power station. This was not a coincidence: it is a prime example, among many, of nuclear policy-led science.  We should have science-led policies but these rarely, if … [Continue Reading]