Nuclear energy is a very broad field that is compromised by many aspects of science, including physics and chemistry. It was discovered in the early 1900s. It is a widely used energy source by the United States due to the amount of energy that can be created from just two atoms. Nuclear fission, the most widely used form of nuclear energy, creates incredible amounts of energy incredibly efficiently and for this reason it is very popular indeed. Nuclear energy is considered environmentally friendly, but it is argued that the radioactive waste and the constant risk of something going wrong pose too great a risk to the environment and people. A Not-So-Short History In 1789, German chemist Martin Klaproth discovered uranium, which was named after Uranus. It wasn't until the late 1800s that radiation was discovered. It was around this time that scientists discovered that some elements emitted alpha, beta, and gamma radiation (“History of Nuclear Energy”). Pierre and Marie Curie coined the term radioactivity in 1896 to name the phenomenon of an element emitting alpha, beta and/or gamma waves. In 1911 it was discovered that naturally radioactive elements had many isotopes with the same chemistry. James Chadwick discovered the neutron in 1932, the same year that Cockcroft and Walton discovered that bombarding atoms with accelerated protons caused nuclear transformations in atoms. Two years later Irene Curie and Frederic Joliot discovered that these nuclear transformations created artificial isotopes. Enrico Fermi experimented with bombarding atoms with neutrons and, in 1935, discovered that this created even more artificial isotopes which led to the creation of heavier and lighter elements. Otto Hans and Fritz Strassman discovered in 1938 that a few... halves of paper... more. It is surprisingly efficient at producing energy. Accidents involving meltdowns have been few and far between, with a total of three occurring since the introduction of nuclear fission as a viable form of electricity production. All by-products of electricity production are environmentally friendly with the exception of depleted uranium. Using it would actually save the government and the average citizen an incredible amount of money. Dangers are few and far between, with many safety measures and precautions implemented at nuclear power plants. Nuclear energy has the potential to completely replace the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation in the future. Overall, nuclear energy is a very useful and viable form of electricity production that should really be the subject of more research and investment.