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Helicopters and fire trucks proved unsuccessful at replenishing damaged nuclear fuel pools at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant on Thursday. The spent-fuel pools contain a large amount of radioactive material that is not contained as well as that in the reactor cores. And although information has been spotty, nuclear experts worry that this fuel--which should be submerged in circulating water to keep it from overheating--has been at least partly exposed in the pools belonging to reactors Nos.

The hydrogen explosions, melting fuel rods and radiation leaks at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are having an immediate impact on perceptions of nuclear power worldwide, at a time when many countries are earnestly searching for alternatives to fossil fuels. Safety will be a major concern, particularly as emergency workers in Japan continue to battle to keep spent fuel rods stored on site at Fukushima Daiichi from melting down. [More]

CHERNOBYL, Ukraine--Imagine a metal arch taller than the Statue of Liberty. Now picture it sliding a distance of roughly three football fields, making it the largest movable structure ever .

In the past few years, online crowdsourcing has emerged as an ultra-popular method of finding solutions to difficult problems such as infant mortality rates and out-of-control oil spills . Could crowdsourcing help Japan quell its nuclear disaster and help the country get back on its feet? The Global Innovation Commons , a repository of innovations that can be used because of patent expiration, abandonment, invalidity, or lack of in-country protection, has compiled a list of patent disclosures and open source technology that could be used as part of Japan's

KIEV, Ukraine--In 1986 the worst nuclear accident in history took place when reactor No. 4 in the power plant at nearby Chernobyl exploded, spewing large amounts of radiation into the atmosphere. Now, almost 25 years later, the lesson that scientists are learning is that radiation might not be the only cause of this disaster's long-term medical effects, and perhaps not even the main one.

Since a magnitude 9.0 earthquake rocked Japan and set loose a massive tsunami March 11, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has been scrambling to avert a nuclear disaster at its hardest hit plant. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, home to six nuclear reactors, has witnessed explosions at three reactors and a fire in a spent-fuel pool at a fourth. At two reactors, units No.

In the wake of radioactive releases from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, critics are saying a California nuclear plant's susceptibility to earthquakes and tsunamis could affect its chances of renewing its operating license. While the federal licenses for Pacific Gas & Electric's Diablo Canyon plant, near San Luis Obispo, and Southern California Edison's San Onofre plant are valid for at least another decade, both utilities have begun the renewal process ahead of time.

Cyberdine has just shown the next iteration of its HAL robots--strap-on exoskeletons that boost the user's strength with electric motors.

More than 60 works from Japan’s S

A full meltdown has been avoided so far at Japan's 40-year-old Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

By Nichola Groom LOS ANGELES, March 15 (Reuters) - Californians have long had an uneasy relationship with their two nuclear power plants, and the crisis in Japan raises new doubts about how long nuclear power will survive in the earthquake-prone state. The first test of the Golden State's support for nuclear power is coming soon, as the nuclear plants perched on the scenic but fault-laden California coastline since the early 1980s begin the process for 20-year license renewals

The 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan shortened Earth's day by 1.8 millionths of a second. While this might sound striking, perhaps even scary, don't panic: Earth is shifting slightly all the time, owing mostly to atmospheric and ocean currents. The 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan on March 11 shortened Earth's day by 1.8 millionths of a second, according to NASA scientists

As the situation at Japan's 40-year-old Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant goes from bad to worse--four of the plant's six boiling water reactors have been damaged by explosions or fire and radiation has begun leaking into the atmosphere--officials there continue to pump the reactors with seawater in an attempt to cool down fuel rods and avoid a complete meltdown that could release radioactive fallout across much of country.

Less than a year ago I was opposed to nuclear energy for reasons that I explained in this post . Nuclear power, I believed, was just too risky. Then I got an e-mail from Rod Adams, a former U.S

Twitter and other social networks have, of course, been remarkable tools during past uprisings and disasters.