China has overtaken the Europeans in constructing the latest generation of nuclear power plants. However, one problem remains: With the current expansion of nuclear energy, the country's uranium reserves will only last for seven to eight years. A new way of extracting uranium from the sea is supposed to provide a remedy. Although it is much more expensive and complex than extraction on land, it is also more environmentally friendly. Chinese physicists are leading the way. The engineers want to start building the first plant in five years.
