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The Controversy of a Potential Hafnium Bomb
deglr6328 writes "Physics Today has a report detailing the surprisingly heated controversy surrounding the usually sober science of nuclear isomers (the Washington Post has run a less scientifically rigorous version). Since the 70's it has been known that the specific "m2" isomer of Hafnium-178 has an extraordinarily long half life of 31 years (nuclear isomers usually have half-lives on orders of pico or nanoseconds) and on decaying, emits high energy gamma rays at ~2.5 Mev. The prospect of energy storage and rapid release in Hf-178 for the puropse of creating large energy stores, bombs and even exotic gamma ray lasers did not escape the interest of Reagan era Star Wars researchers and was seriously studied for a time during SDI's heyday, but was eventually abandoned after being considered unfeasible. Then, in 1999, Carl Collins at the Univ. of Texas Center for Quantum Electronics reported inducing energy release from Hf-178 by bombarding a sample with X-rays (from a dental machine no less). Immediately, comments about the article were submitted, pointing out inconsistencies with basic nuclear theory and the controversy has only grown since then, with claims and counter-claims of flawed experimental design, incompetence and irrational theories in feuds reminiscent of the cold fusion debacle of the late 80's. It's seeming more unlikely as the arguments drag on, but if a Hafnium bomb could be built, it is thought that a golf ball sized chunk could produce the energy equivalent of 10 tons of conventional explosives."
Completely dismissing all the pro and con science regarding this issue. I have to say that if we can have a ten kiloton bob the size of a golf ball, then we can guarantee global decimation with a car full of golf balls. Why do the monkeys insist on playing with fire? Because they haven't gotten burned yet. In this case, once they DO get burned it won't matter because there won't be any monkeys left. I don't care if this is just some kind of theoretical experiment at this stage. If and when it does become a reality, you know that one of the fearful warmongers will demand that the ultimate weapon is made so that they are the biggest kid on the block. Humans have so much potential for great things and for self destruction.
(Let the games begin)
Un-news
I've sussed it folks. I've figured out how we can achieve world peace and it's very simple. Historically most wars have been about "us vs. them", or "hey that's mine!" or "Oh yeah? We'll now I'm bigger than you!" But it appears that the "I'm bigger than you" brand of war is the one that has brought about the development of bigger, faster and more accurate machines of destruction. (ie. weapons) Why do we do all of this? Here is the answer kids, and it's as plain as the nose on your face: penis envy.
To achieve world peace, I think all male world leaders should be required to publicly pull out their penises and measure them. That information should be publicly posted so that we would, once and for all, know who is really bigger than who. I think you would find that the countries with the leaders that make the most noise are the ones who are least well endowed. After all, this is just a pissing contest in the end.
To achieve complete world peace among all people, clothes should be designed in such a way that men's penis size should be plainly visible. (No this isn't gay, it's a way to bring men into the 21st century) Add to that, putting a man's penis size on his driver's license. After all, since many women are freely judged by their breast size, why shouldn't men be freely judged by their penis size? After a few generations of this, the stigma attached to penis size should become relatively meaningless and men could get on with the business of actually running the world in a responsible way.
Damn! What a great idea.
Who is Twirlip of the Mists?
Kerry wouldn't have lied, but I don't blame him for getting fooled by Cheney.