How to stop a nuclear meltdown before it begins

A glass scale model of a nuclear power plant in Essen, Germany, will help scientists test ways to reduce the risk of meltdowns. Image courtesy of sCO2-HeRo

Fukushima, Chernobyl, Three Mile Island — all three nuclear disasters were caused by human error, in one form or another. Now researchers are working on ways to ensure nuclear power plants remain safe — by making safety systems that can operate automatically.

A nuclear meltdown happens when the reactor’s residual power exceeds the heat that can be removed by the cooling systems. The…