A few days ago I watched this really interesting speech by Bill Gates for TED. To sum it up, Bill Gates thinks nuclear power is the future. And today it turns out he doesn't only think it, he is convinced. Gates plans to invest big money in a partnership between Toshiba and nuclear company TerraPower. Together these companies will work on a next generation nuclear power technology, resulting in a so-called a traveling-wave reactor. Traveling-wave reactors have been on the agenda for a long time. But as often is the case with good plans, the idea was there, but the technology wasn't. Computer technology has advanced in such a way that it is now possible to do the necessary calculations.

The traveling-wave reactor can burn depleted uranium and other low-grade radioactive fuel stocks. It doesn't require enriched uranium, making it a safer and more sustainable alternative. Check out this video of TerraPower CEO John Gilleland explaining the technology. Gates and Gilleland got me quite excited.

via Forbes / image via Dr. Alzheimer