Uranium is a rare element and was formed not only on Earth but also in space and on other planets. It is formed during supernova explosions and since it has 92 electrons and 92 protons it is the heaviest naturally produced element. It is radioactive and very harmful and sometimes fatal to humans when contact is made. However, it is a sustainable, long-lasting source of energy and much better for the environment than the more traditional approach to energy, fossil fuels. Some scientists say it could be the solution to climate change. Discovered in 1789 by Martin Klaproth, uranium has been around for a long time. But only in recent decades have we begun to understand how important and life-changing it is. It all started with Henri Antoine Becqurel's discovery in 1896 that uranium was radioactive, which led Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmans to discover the fissionability of uranium in 1938. From then on ideas of harnessing energy began to flow giving life to the first nuclear power plant, the "Chicago". Pile-1” built December 2, 1942Uranium can be obtained in 3 ways:1. Open pit mining. It is also known as strip mining. It begins with the removal of surface soil and inefficient rock to reach the underlying ore. This is only possible in some cases, generally when the ore is less than 120 meters below the surface.2. Underground mining. This mining method is used to reach higher concentrations of uranium that are too deep to be accessed by open-pit mines. The ore is mined and then blasted to create smaller rock fragments which are then transported to the surface on a mill.3. Milling. This is used in both methods of uranium mining. The uranium must be removed from the rock and concentrated.......middle of paper......h over a hundred operational power plants contribute to about a fifth of the country's electricity consumption. America is also estimated to be $3 trillion in debt. Considering that the prices to open power plants exceed two billion dollars, it is easy to understand why America is in debt. It seems the only downside from a political perspective is the cost. Conclusion It is concluded that uranium is a long-term sustainable energy source with an equal number of positives and negatives. In my eyes, the rewards it creates outweigh the negatives as most of them only occur on very rare occasions. Things like nuclear meltdowns and the problem of storage and extraction will soon disappear as we learn from the mistakes of the past and develop new methods of storage and extraction. Nuclear energy is starting to look like the future, and uranium is the key we need to unlock it.