John McClaughry on Thorium Power
Science journalist Richard Martin's book SuperFuel tells the tale of thorium power, the nuclear road not taken. In a review of the book, Contributing Editor John McClaughry reports that Martin makes a strong case that thorium is a cheaper, safer form of energy whose failure to catch on has more to do with bureaucratic infighting and regulatory barriers than any innate problems with the technology. When Martin proposes the steps he thinks are needed to bring thorium into widespread use, alas, he just comes up with more industrial policy.