The Politics of Spent Nuclear Fuel

Dan Yurman in his blog has an insightful analysis of the general unhappiness about management of spent nuclear fuel in the USA.

Safe Nuclear Power Does Exist

China will soon be leading the way with an alternative nuclear power technology using natural thorium as a nuclear fuel. The technology started in Oak Ridge, Tennessee decades ago. We've not done much with it. Maybe the problems encountered with the uranium based reactors in Japan will open our eyes to an even safer nuclear power generation methodology. We need to get things in gear and soon.

Radiation Dose Chart

Click here to see a chart of the ionizing radiation dose a person can absorb from various sources.

Reactor Core Meltdown Explained

Physicist Michio Kaku explains the ABCs of a nuclear power reactor meltdown due to a loss of coolant and what is going on in northeast Japan this morning.

From what I understand, this reactor complex is about 40 years old, therefore, it may not be as well designed to absorb seismic shocks as well are more recent designs. This reactor complex was at the end of it's life and probably should have been in the decommissioning process given it's location to known geological faults. Hind-sight is always 20/20.

Smartphone-Enabled Device that Detects Cancer in Under 1-Hour

Hand-held electronics will only become more important with each succeeding evolution. This breakthrough makes this point quite clear. The only fly in the ointment is if these devices themselves are conclusively found cause cancer when held next to your body.

The Disappearing Spoon

I just finished reading (listening to) a book that came out in 2010 some might find interesting. If you hated chemistry in school or were just mystified by it, this book might change your opinion.

The book is "The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements."

The discovery of the chemical elements was a messy, funny, and competitive process. You were not likely to get these stories in class. I highly recommend it.

Nuclear Powered Cars. Are You Ready???

Seems at first to be an early April Fools article. But then the concept seems to be legit. Let us hope that the NRC and Dept. of Motor Vehicles don't decide to merge.

The Workings of an Ancient Nuclear Reactor

The story of this reactor has been a part of my graduate education legacy, thanks to Prof. Paul K. Kuroda. In a lecture by Prof. Kuroda in the Spring of 1972, I was enthralled by his description of a science I was just beginning to learn: cosmochemistry - the origin of the chemical elements. I learned that we are all 'star stuff.' The Universe has never looked the same since.

As a side note, the natural nuclear reactor came about with the assistance of blue-green algae. This tiny plant generated an abundance of oxygen that helped create acid conditions that dissolved the uranium in water, which moderated the neutrons, which resulted in a cycling chain reaction that ran for a hundred thousand years or so. Think about it. Life and nuclear energy in a symbiotic relationship.

A new book came out last year that I highly recommend to scientists and non-scientists alike: "The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements.

Power Play

Dan Rather has a story on new nuclear reactor technology in the USA on HDNet which is no the HD tier of most cable TV offerings. The show repeats several time over the next few days. It was disappointing that there was no mention of energy from thorium.

Natalie Portman's ORNL Ties

It seems that Natalie (Hershlag) Portman co-authored a paper with a scientist from Oak Ridge National Laboratory back in 1998. Who'da thunk it?

Warren Buffett and His Inclination Against Nuclear Power

With Warren Buffett, it's all about "pricing power." Too bad he is not considering the long term best interest for his neighbors and fellow countrymen (and -women).