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Nuclear Decay May Vary With Earth-Sun Distance
KentuckyFC writes "We've long thought that nuclear decay rates are constant regardless of ambient conditions (except in a few special cases where beta decay can be influenced by powerful electric fields). So that makes it hard to explain two puzzling experiments from the 1980s that found periodic variations over many years in the decay rates of silicon-32 and radium-226. Now a new analysis of the raw data says that changes in the decay rate are synchronized with each other and with Earth's distance from the sun. The physicists behind this work offer two theories to explain why this might be happening (abstract). First, some theorists think the sun produces a field that changes the value of the fine structure constant on Earth as its distance from the sun varies. That would certainly affect the rate of nuclear decay. Another idea is that the effect is caused by some kind of interaction with the neutrino flux from the sun's interior which also varies with distance. Take your pick. What makes the whole story even more intriguing is that for years physicists have disagreed over the decay rates of several isotopes such as titanium-44, silicon-32, and cesium-137. Perhaps they took their data at different times of the year?"
Yes, you can now only date graphite. Diamonds are no longer acceptable dating material.
...has Pamela Anderson been given the news?
So the earth may really be 5,000 years old? Shit. I have some apologizing to do on the Creationism vs Evolution yahoo message boards.
Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
See! I told you that dendrochronology was more accurate!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrochronology
I pity the man who has to interrupt two scientists arguing about decay rates and tell them they were both right.
Does this have any ramifications for carbon dating?
No, I'd say just go with the original plan of a nice dinner and a walk by the ocean and you will do just fine.
She made the willows dance
Yes - but not enough to account for the difference between Joan Rivers' apparent and actual age.
----------------------------------- My Other Sig Is Hilarious -----------------------------------
I dated graphite once, she wasnt very original, kinda flaky, and left dark marks on me... Diamonds, is still playing hard to get though...
They are just trying to force me to buy new updated nuclear engineering text books. I won't fall for it!
Nuclear engineers build weapons. Civil engineers build targets.
But I live in Nebraska, you insensitive clod!
Airplane Photos, Airline News, Planespotting Guides
It's the Phlogiston, released by the central furnace of the sun. Doesn't seem quite so funny now, does it Pinkerton?
Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with my Phrenologist.
I take it you don't play with bucky balls then!
...stored on the interstellar star voyager I'm building, then.
Should be able to pack a few more women on-board that way.
It is by my will alone my thoughts acquire motion; it is by the juice of the coffee bean that the thoughts acquire speed
First, some theorists think the sun produces a field that changes the value of the fine structure constant on Earth as its distance from the sun varies.
If this is true, we get some fundamental variables besides $_, @_, etc.
Diamonds are generally best friends, not dating material.
Are the reasons your extensive diamond knowledge will never come in handy.
You better watch out, there may be dogs about . .
It would certainly explain why time seems to move slower whenever I'm talking to certain coworkers.
You better watch out, there may be dogs about . .
Yes - but not enough to account for the difference between Joan Rivers' apparent and actual age.
When nine-hundred years old you reach, look as good, you will not.
My work here is dung.
An old programming axiom now looks more true than ever:
"Variables don't and constants aren't"
anus penis?
Could perhaps the distance between the earth and the sun and the relationship for nuclear decay be in some way effected by the gravitational field fluctuations that occur as well? Time is dilated by gravity, so perhaps are we seeing a further proof of Special relativity?
Or are they simply looking for casual relationships where none actually exist. Perhaps the decay rate relates to the amount of pastafarians on earth.
This isn't Craigslist, chief.
They measure electron state transition times. You can relax now.
Why'd you tell him to relax?
Look, he just threw off a bunch of photons all over the place - and it was a forbidden transition!
Ok, so you clean up the mess now! :-)
There's a joke in here somewhere about nanowires being phallic and nanotubes, but I'm far to mature to make it.
I hate printers.
Diamond: When you only want the best for your grill.
I drank what? -- Socrates
So what you are saying is that even though we may all aspire to have a diamond, it is something you can't really hold onto because it will either overreact to something, burn out, or eventually become a stable graphite anyway (which is what we should have been looking for to begin with).
Man, how far can we drag out these relationship analogies?
Yes, you can now only date graphite. Diamonds are no longer acceptable dating material.
Obviously. Once the guy gives the girl a diamond they are past dating.
"Where's my other sock?" - A. Einstein
...
On a timescale of billions of years, however, the luminosity of the Sun has increased substantially, and if that accelerates radioactive decays by some neutrino interaction then the uranium-lead clock would be off and the Earth might be considerably older than we thought.
So, like 7000 years then ?
The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat." Lily Tomlin
...and the time scale is therefore not geologic.
Would the time scale be universal instead? : p
This guy's the limit!
...only if they maintain the correct Bond.
Find environmentally and socially responsible products on http://buy-right.net
In the interests of learning, I propose we switch it off to see what happens.
which is totally what she said
[...] nutrino [...] natrino [...] nutino
Geez, man! Snap out of it!
"Total destruction the only solution" - Bob Marley
Seriously, what's the problem with burning diamonds in oxygen?
Spoken like someone who has never experienced a diamond mine fire firsthand.
Yes it's far more likely that this annual periodic wobble of a few percent is indicative of a past where carbon was a factor of 1000 times more radioactive than it is now, roasting the dinosaurs alive so they went extinct before they could leave the garden of Eden.
Hi honey, I got you this fabulous graphite ring. It lasts longer than a diamond! Will you marry me?
Tsunami -- You can't bring a good wave down!
Take an old vinyl record.
What the hell is a vinyl record? Links please.
No, dogs are best friends around here. What women read /.?
Dogs read Slashdot?!
Graphite is for-evah, shiny graphite is for-evah, unless you use a bloody rubber, for you Americans that's an eraser...
Lars T.
To the guy who modded me down from perfect to terrible Karma - Apple haters still suck
Please... no moh jokes
If the g'vt kept the data on you that google does you'd better believe you'd be calling it "doing evil"