<p>The massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan's northeast coast on March 11, 2011, triggered a nuclear crisis of proportions<a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/11/pictures/111111-nuclear-cleanup-struggle-at-fukushima/"> unseen since the Chernobyl meltdown</a> of 1986. After electricity was lost, flooding destroyed the crucial backup generator to run the cooling system needed to control the decay heat of the nuclear fuel at the coastal Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.<br><br>(Related: "<a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/03/pictures/110318-japan-reactors-fukushima-nuclear-power-plant-pictures-radiation/">Japan Reactor Crisis: Satellite Pictures Show Damage</a>")<br><br>(Related Quiz:<a href="http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/energy/great-energy-challenge/energy-news-2011-quiz/"> Energy News 2011</a>)<br><br>Within hours, hydrogen buildup sparked explosions, and with outer containment lost and partial meltdown inside three of the six reactors, workers began a weeks-long epic struggle to bring Fukushima under control. (Related: "<a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/03/pictures/110323-inside-fukushima-daiichi-japan/">A Rare Look Inside Fukushima Daiichi</a>") <br><br>The accident transformed not only the immediate energy landscape of Japan, but also the long-term energy plans of countries all over the world. (Related: "<a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/07/110707-japan-energy-future-after-tsunami/">Energy Short Japan Eyes a Renewable Future</a>") At the start of 2011, nuclear energy was said to be on the cusp of a "renaissance." Fukushima Daiichi slammed the brakes on that movement.<br><br>Germany shut down eight of its 17 nuclear reactors within days of the tsunami, and soon the country decided to<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/30/science/earth/30germany.html?pagewanted=all"> ditch nuclear entirely</a> by 2022. European engineering firm Siemens said in<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/business/global/19iht-siemens19.html"> September</a> that it would exit the nuclear power plant business. In India, protests against plans to build the world's largest nuclear plant widened after Fukushima, but the<a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/07/110722-india-nuclear-jaitapur/"> government has insisted</a> that nuclear will be necessary to meet its goals for expanding electricity access and limiting greenhouse gas emissions.<br><br>At year's end, conditions inside Fukushima Daiichi have stabilized, but Japanese officials face <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/11/pictures/111111-nuclear-cleanup-struggle-at-fukushima/">a host of challenges ranging from radioactive decay inside the reactor to hot spots </a>detected far from the restricted zone. Here, radiation experts dispatched by the International Atomic Energy Agency in October examine Unit 3.<br><br>(Related: "<a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/07/110722-india-nuclear-jaitapur/">India Maps Out a Nuclear Future, Amid Opposition"</a>)<br><br>(Related: "<a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/04/110412-most-dangerous-nuclear-plant-armenia/">Is Armenia's Nuclear Plant The World's Most Dangerous?</a>")<br><br><em>—Josie Garthwaite</em></p>
1. Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster
The massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan's northeast coast on March 11, 2011, triggered a nuclear crisis of proportions unseen since the Chernobyl meltdown of 1986. After electricity was lost, flooding destroyed the crucial backup generator to run the cooling system needed to control the decay heat of the nuclear fuel at the coastal Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
Within hours, hydrogen buildup sparked explosions, and with outer containment lost and partial meltdown inside three of the six reactors, workers began a weeks-long epic struggle to bring Fukushima under control. (Related: "A Rare Look Inside Fukushima Daiichi")
The accident transformed not only the immediate energy landscape of Japan, but also the long-term energy plans of countries all over the world. (Related: "Energy Short Japan Eyes a Renewable Future") At the start of 2011, nuclear energy was said to be on the cusp of a "renaissance." Fukushima Daiichi slammed the brakes on that movement.
Germany shut down eight of its 17 nuclear reactors within days of the tsunami, and soon the country decided to ditch nuclear entirely by 2022. European engineering firm Siemens said in September that it would exit the nuclear power plant business. In India, protests against plans to build the world's largest nuclear plant widened after Fukushima, but the government has insisted that nuclear will be necessary to meet its goals for expanding electricity access and limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
It was a year of shattered faith in nuclear power, and in the West, eroding support for renewables. But the East's relentless growth shaped the world of energy in 2011.
Published December 1, 2011
DON'T MISS THE REST OF THIS STORY!
Create a free account to continue and get unlimited access to hundreds of Nat Geo articles, plus newsletters.
Sign Upfor your free account. Or get a Premium Subscription, just $19.SUBSCRIBE
Create your free account to continue reading
No credit card required. Unlimited access to free content.
Or get a Premium Subscription to access the best of Nat Geo - just $19
If the claims are true, the behavior by Homo naledi—a baffling, small-brained member of the human family tree—would pre-date the earliest known burials by at least 100,000 years.
This new birth control for cats doesn't require surgery
Scientists have developed a gene therapy contraceptive for cats that could reduce the deaths of birds and mammals. The treatment is easy to administer and lasts a lifetime.
80 years ago, young men of color were attacked for their “unpatriotic” fashion choices, leading to the Zoot Suit Riots. The repercussions can still be felt today.
