Applications of Nuclear Physics to Energy Development

Initial Questions

1. How can you acquire energy from breaking chemical bonds within the nucleus without using radioactive (and highly dangerous) elements?
2. Is there any way to acquire energy by breaking the bonds between gluons and quarks in any stable, common element such as carbon?
3. How could humans work at nuclear power facilities without being exposed to harmful radiation?
4. Could the proton-proton reaction realistically be manipulated to produce usable energy in nuclear power plants?

[1]