I fall pretty firmly in the pro-nuclear camp. Sure, it's easy to be frightened by radiation, but from a scientific standpoint, we can accurately measure it, we have a decent understanding of its affects on the body, we understand what causes it; radiation only seems invisible, mysterious and dangerous to people who lack basic a scientific understanding of it.

Also, I'm willing to argue that nuclear technology is safe. Yes, there have been three high profile disasters from nuclear power generation, but to me, those disasters are not indicative of some inherent flaw in nuclear technology, they were the results of human operator mistakes, or design and engineering mistakes, which can be accounted for and corrected. Lets not ignore the 2014 Elk River chemical spill, the Kingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spill, or the thousand other mistakes and accidents surrounding fossil fuel production and consumption, which are subject to the same operating and engineering foibles. Also, considering a fundamental flaw of fossil fuels involves releasing carbon into the atmosphere disrupting the delicate balance that our climate and ecosystem requires, from a long-term perspective, nuclear has always seemed like the safer choice to me. A big hoopla could be raised about nuclear waste, but that ignores the fact that innovations in reactor technology can minimize or eliminate waste, and the waste that is produced, while dangerous, is extremely compact and with the proper precautions can be safely stored indefinitely.

I think nuclear is the only carbon-neutral power source capable of being scaled up to meet present day demands given the technology we have now. Also, considering what scientists are saying about global warming, now is the time to act, not five, ten or twenty years from now hoping for some silver bullet to save everything. The dangers of radiation, and the risks of nuclear power should not be downplayed, but from my perspective, I think they are overemphasized by too many people.