NMR Shows That Nuclear Storage Degrades

eldavojohn writes to point out recent research using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imagery that shows that certain nuclear waste storage containers may not be as safe as previously thought. From the article: "[R]adiation emitted from [plutonium] waste could transform one candidate storage material into less durable glass after just 1,400 years — much more quickly than thought... The problem is that the radioactive waste damages the matrix that contains it. Many of the waste substances, including plutonium-239, emit alpha radiation, which travels for only very short distances (barely a few hundredths of a millimeter) in the ceramic, but creates havoc along the way."

Comments

1,400 years

[0racle]

I'm only going to worry about this if the Weekly World News is right and death has been cured.

Re:1,400 years

[jimstapleton]

you were probably a fan of storing dates as 2 characters in the 90s a well...

Re:1,400 years

[Amouth]

humm you are saying this on slashdot.. what are the odds that people here will reproduce????

Re:1,400 years

[RicktheBrick]

We do not need 1400 years to find a much better way to dispose of this material. What will happen when we invent the technology(rail gun) to accelerate the material faster than escape velocity and than just launch the material into the sun. Future generations will be so bored that they will welcome this problem just to have something to do.

We...

[TransEurope]

...should store the waste at the dark side of the moon.
I suggest to build a moon base near the dump yard to for
observing. Since there is a lot of radiactive waste, there should be
more than one yard, so the first one should be named Alpha-1.

Re:We...

[Sponge Bath]

From what I saw of 'Space 1999' that kind of radiation hazard causes excessive side burns.

True, but what about the upside?

[ChePibe]

Yes, yes, we know the problems with this. But what about the benefits? While there may be some negative health benefits, the super hero population is only bound to grow with this recent discovery.

You can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs, and you can't make super mutants with laser vision without cracking some radioactive material storage facilities. Let's take a balanced look at this.

Re:It's an economic problem in the US.

[chrish]

The American government honours treaties now?

Re:It's an economic problem in the US.

[skoaldipper]

mod parents down!

I didn't get a Wii for Christmas, so who needs them anyways.

Wow! A modern super hero!

[ChePibe]

Hyper-sensitive man! Able to look through an obvious joke with his penetrating sarcasm ignoring vision! No internet joke is safe!

I kid, I kid...

Re:It's an economic problem in the US.

[Arcane_Rhino]

Personally, if I was the EO(Evil Overlord) of the USA, I'd institute...

Good news, the position for new EO is opening next year. So far, yours is the best platform, if you are interested.

Re:It's an economic problem in the US.

[FusionDragon2099]

Breader reactors? Do they take the take the radioactive waste and cover it in crumbs?

Re:Waste?

[Dunbal]

After all, it might make it easier for terrists to get holda some and make a nukular bomb.

      Then perhaps the US would invade itself in search of WMD's and give the rest of the world a break?