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Nuclear fission is the process of splitting a large atom into two smaller atoms and releasing a LOT of heat. That heat is used to boil water, make steam, turn a turbine and generator, and produce electricity. Most nuclear power plants today are fueled by enriched uranium 235 to produce non-renewable, carbon-free, 24/7 electricity. The byproducts of nuclear fission are highly radioactive and must be secured away from people for hundreds of thousands of years. There are currently no proven long-term solutions for storage of this radioactive waste.

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