ummm... you mean you translated "uhhh uhhhh ahhhh!" into various Eastern European languages ?? You are a cunning linguist, my friend !

"In other words, this sort of thing has been operating safely for about 50 years now."

Sure, unless you count: K-19, K-11, K-27, K-140, K-429, K-222, K-123, K-314, K-431, K-192, K-8, K-386, TK-208, K-279, K-447, K-508, K-208, K-210, K-216, K-316, K-462, K-38, K-37, K-371, and K-367.

Those are submarines which experienced nuclear accidents from just the Northern Fleet of the former Soviet Union and Russia. Too lazy to look for the Pacific fleet accidents..

The Russian Northern Fleet Nuclear submarine accidents

"how advisable it is to pursue a PhD in this topic?" What is your tolerance level for torches and pitchforks ?

Earth First ! (We'll mine the other planets later...) --poster seen at a mining operation