“The release of atomic energy has not created a new problem. It simply made the need to solve an existing one more urgent.” (Albert Einstein). This problem consists in the ever-increasing energy demand worldwide, which is directly proportional to the constant increase in the world population (see figure 1 in the appendices). This increase has resulted in an accelerated depletion of fossil fuel resources such as coal, oil and natural gas (see figure 2). For centuries, fossil fuels have been, and still are, the most conventional source for generating energy. Unfortunately, it is not sustainable or will not last for many generations. Efforts are currently being made to prioritize alternative sources of energy, in order to fill the gap once fossil fuels are not abundant enough to support the world's energy demand. One of these sources is atomic energy, from which we can extract nuclear energy. According to Mann and Gordon, fossil fuels are formed by natural operations such as anaerobic decomposition when exerted on dead organisms. Typically, these organisms are estimated to be more than 650 million years old. For this reason, fossil fuels are considered non-renewable as they take millions of years to form. Furthermore, their reserves are being depleted much faster than they are being generated through power plants and refueling vehicles. Hodgson predicts that global energy consumption will double every fourteen years and that demand will steadily increase. He also insisted in 2008 that global production of oil, the primary fossil fuel resource, is expected to peak within 10 years and decline thereafter. This expectation could be erased if new oil wells were discovered, although no major oil field currently has…half the paper…from which the usage is generated. Unfortunately, fossil fuels are not sustainable and are estimated to decline in 2080. Therefore, we need to transition to at least one other energy source to support our ever-growing energy demand. One of the possibilities lies in nuclear energy, which is divided into two main categories, nuclear fission and fusion. The former is also not sustainable, but it is capable of satisfying our energy needs for approximately one hundred and sixty millennia. The latter is considered sustainable and, if made possible, could represent the solution to the initial problem of finding a clean and long-lasting source of energy. However, nuclear energy is having difficulty gaining acceptance by the public. Ultimately, the transition away from fossil fuels will have a positive impact on the environment through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.