Long Half-life

The Nuclear Industry in Australia

Ian Lowe

$34.95

Paperback

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English

Monash University Publishing
01 August 2021

Australasian & Pacific history; Ethical issues: scientific & technological developments; Nuclear weapons; Mathematics & Sciences; Nuclear power & engineering

Australia has been directly involved in the nuclear industry for more than a century, but our involvement has never been comprehensively documented. Long Half-life tells the social and political history of Australia’s role, from the first discovery of radioactive ores in 1906 to contemporary contentious questions. Should the next generation of submarines be nuclear powered? Can nuclear energy help to slow global climate change? Do we need nuclear weapons for defence? Should we store radioactive waste from nuclear power stations in our region?

Long Half-life is a timely and riveting account of the political, social and scientific complexities of the nuclear industry, revealing the power of vested interests, the subjectivities of scientists and the transformative force of community passion.

By: Ian Lowe
Imprint: Monash University Publishing
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 153mm,
ISBN: 9781922464491
ISBN 10: 192246449X
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 01 August 2021
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Professor Ian Lowe AO is uniquely qualified to tell this story, following a long career in universities, research councils and advisory groups. Lowe is the author of several books, including Living in the Hothouse (Scribe, 2005), A Big Fix (Black Inc., 2005), A Voice of Reason (UQP, 2010), Bigger or Better? (UQP, 2102) and The Lucky Country? Reinventing Australia (UQP, 2016). He is also the author of a 2006 Quarterly Essay on the prospects for nuclear power in Australia and a flip book with Professor Barry Brook, giving the two side of the argument.

Reviews for Long Half-life: The Nuclear Industry in Australia

This book is a clarion call for sanity at a time when we can finally get the nuclear monkey off our back – highly recommended. -- Peter Garrett Ian Lowe brings both scientific rigour and personal depth to an issue that has generated heartache and headlines for decades. This cautionary tale is timely and important. -- Dave Sweeney, Australian Conservation Foundation