Things More Dangerous than Nuclear Power: Lightning

Thomas Eiden
Aug 25, 2017 · 2 min read

This week we’ll look at the poster child of rare occurrences. Being struck by lightning is the thing that other rare things are compared to, like winning the lottery, or being eaten by a snake. Speaking of the lottery, I really didn’t have much homework to do to find data on lightning strike fatalities because the National Weather Service has a very informative website for just that purpose. Each entry even has an associated news story linked to it! Check out this baller website:

So far, in 2017, 13 people have succumbed to having a massive amount of electrons coursing through their bodies. So far, in 2017, ZERO people have died from (power plant) gamma radiation coursing through their bodies. In fact, zero people have died from the operation of commercial nuclear power in the US since 1957, whereas 3,696 have been killed by lightning since 1959.

Environmentalist groups consider nuclear power to carry an “unacceptable risk” to “society.” Perhaps since dying from commercial nuclear power is so rare, we ought to start comparing the chances of dying from something dangerous, like lightning, to the chances of dying from nuclear power. Oh wait, that won’t work…


Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Idaho National Laboratory or of any agency of the U.S. government.

)

Thomas Eiden

Written by

Thomas is a Nuclear Reactor Engineer at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) in Idaho. He uses neutronics models to design fuel loadings and ensure nuclear safety.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade