Nuclear reactions produce ionizing radiation and radioactive isotopes, which also produce ionizing radiation. When ionizing radiation passes through your body, it acts like a microscopic bullet, leaving destroyed protean molecules along its path. In most cases, a cell will simply discard the damaged molecules. In some cases the DNA in the cell is damaged and the cell will die, and in a few cases the damaged DNA will cause the cell to beging replicating itself at the expense of its neighboors. We call this latter case cancer.
There is no safe threshold for ionizing radiation. Every increased dose of radiation increases your chance of developing cancer. When a large population is exposed to an increased dose of radiation the number of cancer cases increases with the increased dose.
When the locations of cancer cases in the region surrounding an operating nuclear power reactor are mapped, not only is the location of the nuclear reactor seen as the location of the largest clump of cancer cases, but the prevailing wind direction is indicated by a trail of cases extending down wind from the clump of cases around the reactor location.
Leaking small amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere is
standard operating procedure for nuclear power reactors.
proliferation of nuclear wepons
spills and accidents
waste disposal
non-renewable
cost