Nuclear fission was discovered in the 1930s, and with that discovery, it opened the door to an exciting new field of energy production. When it was first discovered, it was so misunderstood that some children's toys actually contained live radioactive material. However, we learned from our mistakes and moved forward. Today, nuclear reactors that produce electricity for the population are common in large cities and some rural areas, but how safe are they really? The question is brought up again by the events that occurred in Japan with nuclear reactors. Are the reactors in use today safer and are we in any danger? When the word nuclear reactor is mentioned in passing today, it is usually associated with giant concrete cooling towers spewing torrents of steam, a mushroom cloud rising high into the sky, or even Homer Simpson asleep at the control panel. Nuclear energy is much more than this. When it was first discovered it was praised as a low-cost, low-mission alternative to fossil fuels, which is extremely good for the entire planet, but today with the threat of nuclear meltdowns, safety has become a key issue . “In the United States, 104 nuclear power plants provide 20% of total electricity, and some states benefit more than others.” (Brain, Lamb 1) With so many reactors in the United States alone, people have a right to know if operations are being conducted safely. This information may be quite worrying to some, but when we actually look at the track record of nuclear energy, it tells us another side. The World Nuclear Association's nuclear reactor safety document states that there have been two major reactor accidents in the history of civilian nuclear power: Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. One was contained without damage... in the center of the card... by Robert Lamb. “HowStuffWorks “How Nuclear Energy Works”” HowStuffWorks - Find out how it all works! Network. 17 March 2011. .World Nuclear Association. “Nuclear Reactor Safety.” World Nuclear Association | Nuclear energy: a sustainable energy resource. January 2011. Web. March 17, 2011. Sanger, David E., Matthew L. Wald, and Hiroko Tabuchi. "US Calls Radiation 'Extremely High'; Sees Japan's Nuclear Crisis Worsening." The New York Times March 17, 2011. New York Times. March 16, 2011. Web. March 17, 2011. “Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Oversight of Nuclear Power Plant Safety Improved, But Refinements Needed: GAO-06-1029.” GAO Reports (2006): 1. Business Source Premier. EBSCO. Network. March 18. 2011.