h a l f b a k e r yCompound disinterest.
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I was thinking you could take unwanted nuclear waste material and encapsulate it in the center of a solid glass sphere or spheroid. Each sphere would have a random splattering of materials that would fluoresce from the decay of the nuclear material. As the ionizing particles hit the fluorescent particles
randomly, there would be a random scinillation within it. The glass would be heavily leaded to prevent the escape of radiation. The scintillation of the random particles would create a unique artform, and lock away some of our country's nuclear waste. To prevent accidental cracking of the glass, you could have a stand/base that would help absorb the shock of a fall or similar event.
Atomic Kitchen
http://youtube.com/...T0g&feature=related
Let's see Johnny Red cook like that! [Amos Kito, Apr 17 2008]
Uranium Glass
http://en.wikipedia.../wiki/Uranium_Glass
People weren't always scared of it... [Srimech, Apr 17 2008]
Anything Radioactive
http://www.anythingradioactive.com/
trinkets and radioactive materials./ [DIYMatt, Jun 13 2009]
[link]
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Will leaded glass be too opaque? |
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Doesn't the nuclear industry work with nuclear materials inside of clear leaded glass enclosures (or am I just imagining this from the movie Silkwood)? |
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//random scinillation//
Perhaps you meant "scintillation". All ionizing and shimmering, nuclear waste must be a lot of fun! From little necklace beads to glass wall blocks... imagine the spectacular lighting possibilities. |
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Even despite the leaded glass, there will still be a negative public backlash from the association with radioactive waste. In the public's mind anything "radioactive" is dangerous -- it simply has been ingrained into the public psyche. |
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... but this would be dangerous. Very dangerous. |
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I have a glass paperweight given to me by
a university in Malaysia. Over 99% of its
weight is nuclei. I will accept offers. |
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The public will indeed be terrified of this. I know many people who are afraid of glow in the dark toys, because radioactive things glow in the dark, and therefore glow in the dark toys must be radioactive cancer-causing chemicals... Flawed logic, but very common. |
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Here's a question though: The scintillation is caused by the radiation... Are you sure the leaded glass will not shield the scintillation as well? |
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Pity about those pesky federal regulations which mean that all radioactive byproducts of nuclear power plants have to be dumped in Yucca Mountain or similar. Blame President Carter. Although 95% of it is U-238 which isn't really radioactive. |
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//In the public's mind anything "radioactive" is dangerous// - except Cornwall, curiously. |
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...or Aberdeen. Now that *is* dangerous, though not because it is radioactive. |
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<aside>A friend of mine, a geologist in the oil business, took a colleague to Aberdeen. The colleague said "The buildings are pretty; they sparkle in the streetlights". My friend replied "They sparkle in the Geiger counter too; the mica's radioactive".</aside> |
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// To prevent accidental cracking of the glass // - but how do you prevent intentional cracking? I thought we didn't want this waste to fall into the wrong hands. |
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Get 'em while they're hot. Unfortunately, that'll be for quite a long time. |
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Not made with nuclear waste, but the link I posted sells radioactive trinkets and glow in the dark thingies. I bought some radioactive samples from them to play with my geiger counter :) |
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// Will leaded glass be too opaque? // |
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// clear leaded glass enclosures // |
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The ports into caves and handling bays are typically double glazed, with the gap filled with saturated Lead Bromide solution, which mops up the Gamma. Alphas and Betas can't even get through one layer of ordinary window glass. |
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This would be simple enough to do - cast a thick-walled cylinder of lead glass, then fill the core with your scintilation mix and cap and seal it with more lead-glass. |
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Waste-glasification technology tends to produce a material which is (unfortunately) opaque, even in thin sections, and rather uninteresting to look at. |
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i really would not want trim the tree with nuke waste, even
if it WERE sealed in glass. |
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Yeah, i know the microwave in the kitchen has radioactive
elements, but we don't stand around it singin' "jingle bells". |
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This reminds me of a "mad tv" skit about plutonium
christmas lights that never burn out, and give the whole
family radiation poisoning. |
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// microwave .... has radioactive elements // |
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We think you mean "radiative" elements. |
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Microwave ovens do not generate or use ionizing radiation (the distinction is very important). They do use electromagnetic radiation at non-ionizing wavelengths. |
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Ironically, in the core of the magnetron is a thermionic filament, which is very likely made of a refractory metal (like tungsten) coated with thoria (thorium oxide) - which is mildly radioactive. |
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// we don't stand around it singin' "jingle bells" // |
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You don't ? It must be very dull at Xmas where you live. Ahh, all the good old traditions are dying out ..... |
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//microwave .... has radioactive elements //
Well, it it's anything like mine, a smoke detector would be a Good Thing. |
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Now, yes, some smoke detectors are radioactive .... wake up and smell the Americium .... |
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"We think you mean "radiative" elements." |
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Oh, ok, I stand corrected. It's just that people sometimes
call microwaving food "nuking" it. |
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