Tag

Radioactivity

All articles tagged with #radioactivity

conservation1 month ago•17 min saved

Chernobyl Wolves Multiply Sevenfold, Show Cancer-Resistant Genetic Clues

New research finds gray wolves in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone are seven times more numerous than before the 1986 disaster, likely due to reduced human pressure, with other wildlife such as elk and deer also thriving. Evolutionary biologists from Princeton and the University of Portsmouth identified cancer-related genetic divergences in CEZ wolves—23 genes linked to multiple tumor types and signs of immune activity—based on RNA from blood samples and comparisons with Belarus and Yellowstone populations; the findings, presented at AACR 2024, suggest a possible cancer resistance in this isolated, war-surrounded ecosystem.

via Gizmodo|

#cancer #chernobyl #conservation

technology9 months ago•2 min saved

2025 One Hertz Challenge: Precision Timekeeping at One Becquerel

Mihai Cuciuc created a unique clock that ticks at one becquerel, using a clever setup with an Am-241 source and coincidence detection to produce a stable one-hertz signal based on radioactive decay, despite the inherent randomness of such decay processes.

via Hackaday|

#becquerel #clock #mihai-cuciuc

science3 years ago•2 min saved

New Short-Lived Uranium Isotope Discovered Through Multinucleon Transfer

Scientists have produced Uranium-241 for the first time, filling a gap in the long list of the heavy metal’s isotopes. The new isotope has a half-life of around 40 minutes, making it long enough to study its properties. Uranium-241's discovery is the first for an isotope at the heavier end of the scale since 1979. When U-241 decays it releases beta rays, converting one of its abundant supply of neutrons to a proton and forming neptunium-241, which in turn lasts for about 14 minutes before becoming plutonium-241 through the same decay process.

via IFLScience|

#isotopes #neutrons #physics

science3 years ago•2 min saved

New 'neutron-rich' uranium isotope found after 42 years

Scientists have discovered and synthesized a new isotope of uranium, uranium-241, which has 92 protons and 149 neutrons, making it the first new neutron-rich isotope of uranium discovered since 1979. The half-life of uranium-241 is estimated to be around 40 minutes. The isotope was created by firing a sample of uranium-238 at platinum-198 nuclei at Japan's RIKEN accelerator. The discovery is unlikely to have any practical or scientific applications due to the small numbers in which it is created.

via Livescience.com|

#decay #isotope #neutrons

science3 years ago•5 min saved

Effective Decontamination Methods for Radioactive Objects.

Objects and people exposed to dangerous levels of radiation can be decontaminated by wiping down the contaminated object or washing it with soap and water. Heavily contaminated objects are decontaminated using strong chemicals such as nitric acid and permanganate. If an object can't be decontaminated with water or chemical treatments, it's probably best to put it in the storage silo. Many hazardous radioactive materials take an extremely long time to peter out on their own.

via Livescience.com|

#chernobyl #decontamination #half-life