An Eerie Prediction

No one quite understands the complexity of the nuclear industry. All we know about it is that atomic bombs destroy the foundations of countries and can kill millions of civilians. What will it take for us to realize the severity of nuclear weaponry and increase security to protect the well being of our country? What will open our eyes to make us see that all it takes is one atomic bomb to wipe out the home we have worked so hard to establish? In John McPhee’s work The Curve of Binding Energy, he brings upon many urgently important topics that should be addressed, as we are currently in a nuclear age with advancing technology.Theodore B. Taylor was one of the most significant individuals involving nuclear power. However, in his later years he became extremely concerned with the fact that it was possible for any person to create a weapon of mass destruction of their own. Knowing this, he aimed to warn the public about homemade nuclear weaponry in an effort to better our security. In McPhee’s work this warning is presented and is emphasized with great importance. McPhee raises many different issues throughout the story. However, what I find most important was Taylor’s argument regarding safeguards. It is essential that we increase and improve our security because terrorists’ attacks are inevitable, as claimed by Taylor. I believe that this work instills fears in those who read it because it opens our eyes to the simplicity of creating a nuclear bomb. Nuclear attacks can take place at anytime because the nuclear materials are easily accessible. Therefore, we must take more intense measures to insure safety and the effectiveness of our security, especially in this new millennium. If bombs weren’t challenging to create back in the 1970’s, there are going to be even easier to create in the year 2008, due to all the techonologial advances. Taylor claimed that any person with moderate technical skills and perseverance could construct their own atomic bomb. This is extremely petrifying because we see how close our country could be to a traumatic terrorist attack. I agree with Taylor in that we need to take more precautions when dealing with safeguarding our nuclear materials. This warning that he provides for us should make us realize that nuclear bombings will be less difficult to occur in the future. Uranium -235 and Plutonium -239, the materials used to create a bomb, need to be strictly contained in all safe places. This book should be used as a wake up call to the United States in making us aware that it is urgently important that these materials are safeguarded to the fullest. If I could describe this book in two words I would call it an “eerie prediction.” After experiencing the September 11, 2001 attack, we have all realized how easy terrorist attacks can be and we see how far a terrorist will go to complete the ultimate destruction. It’s as if Taylor’s claims to McPhee had foreshadowed what would occur several decades later. I find it truly appalling how this warning presented to us in the 1970’s regarding security would become of great need on that tragic day. Taylor made it clear that terrorists’ attacks will occur in every civilization, and sure enough it did in our nation. It even makes me wonder if this attack was in some way inspired by this book. Although, the demolishment of the World Trade Center did not involve an atomic explosive, it is ironic how the World Trade Center is mentioned as a possible terrorist attack target in the book. We should appreciate this book for its intellectual warning. It’sAlthough I believe security is now at the highest peak than ever due to our tragedy back in 2001, the US Atomic Energy Commission should still continue to substantially strengthen its rules for security for nuclear material. After all, Theodore B. Taylor did make a terrifying case that terrorists could easily steal nuclear material and make a bomb from it. If the September 11, 2001 attack did not make us realize the significance of his warning, then I don’t know what else will.