Nuclear engineering student sounds off on rumor about 'weird gas' seen rising from plant: 'Thank you for saying this'

Nuclear engineering student Sofia (@myscisense) has posted the first video in her planned series to debunk common myths relating to nuclear energy.

In the video, she addresses the "weird gas" that can be seen coming out from the top of a nuclear power plant.

@myscisense Welcome to the first ATOMIC ACCURACY post ever! Ft. your beloved host, me 😉 Something I forgot to mention in this video (but I feel is still relevent) is that 1. Nuclear power plants can actually REUSE the water through a process known as a closed-loop system, and 2. Through the cooling towers, the water vapor condenses in the cooler air outside the tower, which is what forms the white clouds you see 😆 #nuclearenergy #nuclearpowerplant #watervapor #nuclear #nuclearplant #nuclearengineer #nuclearenergyisthefuture #debunked #debunktok #thetruth #scienceeducation #sciencematters #nuketok #nucleartok #cleanenergy #cleanenvironment #energytok ♬ Taking Me Back For The Night - Sækyi & Rooftop Collective & Tommy Richman

"Is it dangerous?" she asked. "Is it radioactive?"

That's a "hard no," she answers. "This … is totally safe," she explained.

Sofia explained that the substance coming out of the top of a nuclear power plant is just water vapor. It is a common misconception that what is being expelled is smoke polluting the air, but it is actually steam.

She further explained that nuclear reactors generate electricity through nuclear fission, which generates a lot of heat. The heat boils water that turns into steam. The steam spins a turbine to produce electricity.

This process is carefully monitored for safety and is a great source of energy that is free of carbon pollution. Therefore, using nuclear energy as opposed to other sources of dirty energy (such as coal, gas, and oil) can reduce the air pollution that drives the warming of the planet.

Nuclear plants are also a reliable source of energy, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, under all weather conditions.

Of course, nuclear power isn't without its problems. The contaminated water waste it produces — not the vapor from the cooling towers — continues to create disagreement and discourse. But it's critical that we explore energy options that don't cause our planet to overheat.

Where much of the mistrust started

Which of these factors would most effectively convince you to support nuclear energy projects in your area? Lower energy bills 💸 Safety and reliability ✅ More local jobs 👷‍♀️ Environmental benefits 🌎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The isolated — though devastating — Chernobyl accident of 1986 is often what first comes to mind when people think of a nuclear power plant. It has induced public fear and media portrayals of toxic chemicals being released by the process of generating nuclear energy.

Former nuclear reactor operator turned advocate Heather Hoff understands the misconception.

In an interview with The Cool Down, she said: "People's fears are real to them, and it's not fair to dismiss their concerns."

It is important to seek education surrounding climate issues to dispel myths and formulate knowledge based on facts.

Sofia is trying to help spread facts about nuclear energy, and her followers are listening.

"Nuclear energy is basically very complicated steam power," one commenter concluded.

Another commented: "Thank you for saying this!!"

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