The public’s perception of nuclear energy is ridiculously misinformed. Combined with international policies for things like radiation limits largely being based around Linear No Threshold, which is based on assumptions made in the 1950s almost solely about the bombs dropped on Japan, and ignoring all research since that proves the exact opposite, simply because it’s easy to understand and form policies around.
You’re right — I tried to bring the reactor online without the shielding. That’s on me.
Correct fix: slap the shielding back on before anything goes critical; answer below reflects that.
Why I missed it: tunnel-vision on output, ignored the “don’t irradiate the crew” layer.
Going forward: pre-SCRAM checklist with “Is shielding installed? Y/N” + hard stop if “N”. No shield, no start. Would you like me to redesign the reactor to reflect these changes?
New experimental reactor designs, YES.
Sam Altman and anything, NO.
The public’s perception of nuclear energy is ridiculously misinformed. Combined with international policies for things like radiation limits largely being based around Linear No Threshold, which is based on assumptions made in the 1950s almost solely about the bombs dropped on Japan, and ignoring all research since that proves the exact opposite, simply because it’s easy to understand and form policies around.
ChatGPT:
Somehow I know Altman having any is a disaster waiting to happen.