All explainers
Explainer
Environmental Impacts of Hydroelectric Power
Hydroelectric power includes both massive hydroelectric dams and small run-of-the-river plants, both of which have associated environmental impacts.
Explainer
Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy Technologies
An overview of the environmental impacts of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass.
Explainer
The US Nuclear Weapons Complex
Facts about eight key facilities in the nuclear weapons complex, where weapons and their component parts are designed, assembled, tested, maintained and disposed of.
Explainer
Flood Risk at Nuclear Power Plants
Nuclear power plants need a plentiful source of water nearby for cooling. But this proximity to rivers, lakes and oceans creates serious flooding risks that the NRC has been too slow to address.
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Science and Democracy in the United States
Science and democracy have been inseparable since our nation was born. Here are some of the highlights of their paired story.
Explainer
Safer Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel
Until permanent repository storage is available, spent nuclear fuel should be stored in dry casks, not overcrowded pools.
Explainer
State of Charge Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about the UCS report Start of Charge.
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Cars, Trucks, and Oil Use
The US transportation sector consumes more oil than all other US sources combined, dirtying our air and costing billions.
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Cooler Smarter: Geek Out on the Data!
To figure out what parts of our lives have the greatest impact on global warming, our experts conducted two years of in-depth research using a computer model that tracked emissions in 500 separate spending categories.
Explainer
The Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act
Explainer
Debunking Misinformation About Stolen Climate Emails
The international controversy over emails stolen from the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit has generated a lot of heat.
Explainer
Nuclear Crisis in Japan
UCS coverage of the crisis that developed at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the wake of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami.