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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria University College, Wellington N.Z. Vol. 20, No. 6. May 9, 1957

Cannot Control

Cannot Control

The physicist cannot yet control the fusion reaction so that it produces power slowly but he thinks that he will be able to in time. If such controlled light element [unclear: fusion] is possible we will have a power source which has far less radiation hazard than uranium reactors and a virtually inexhaustible fuel supply.

To sum up. Using nuclear power sources produces radioactive material. This is dangerous to life. So far bomb tests have not produced significant increases in the total radiation but we are already exposing a few people to more radiation than is desirable. A large scale use of uranium bombs would over a long period afterwards be a real menace to life. Tests of hydrogen bombs are not a radiation hazard in proportion to their size. Our hope for the future is in the control of the hydrogen bomb reaction. We must carry on experimenting towards this, even carefully testing hydrogen bombs if this is going to help. But no one should seriously contemplate going to war with them.

Peter Andrews