How are these contrasting views? This seems the very definition of "Radiation Hormesis".Gallium wrote:A quick wikipedia on the issue brings up the reason why there seems to be contrasting views.
The radiation hormesis hypothesis shows "substantial cancer rate reduction between 50 and 123 Bq per cubic meter".
The british study indicates action is needed in homes containing greater than 200 Bq per cubic meter.
Chemists warming to Cold Fusion.
Here in Manassas, the radon problem suddenly became an issue when the city adopted a code standard to minimize wet basements. They mandated "French drains" below the concrete slab of basements, with these drains emptying into a sump tank indoors. Thus they mandated the perfect mechanism for collecting radon emitted from the ground straight into the house.
The newest homes have the sump sealed and vented outdoors, and the remedy for the houses with the problem is to rig such a vent.
How serious is it? Over clean soil, pretty much zero. Over a rich uranium deposit, slow death, supposedly worse than smoking several packs a day of cigarettes. There is also a huge economic impact, because a house with the problem is essentially impossible to sell. And believe me, nobody here buys without having the air tested.
Yes, radon is an inert gas with a very short half-life. That allows it to get promptly out of the soil almost instantly after it is produced by decay. Once inside the house, it decays to longer-lived daughters, so the actual health risk is from atoms of the daughters that cling to dust and go straight into the lungs.
The newest homes have the sump sealed and vented outdoors, and the remedy for the houses with the problem is to rig such a vent.
How serious is it? Over clean soil, pretty much zero. Over a rich uranium deposit, slow death, supposedly worse than smoking several packs a day of cigarettes. There is also a huge economic impact, because a house with the problem is essentially impossible to sell. And believe me, nobody here buys without having the air tested.
Yes, radon is an inert gas with a very short half-life. That allows it to get promptly out of the soil almost instantly after it is produced by decay. Once inside the house, it decays to longer-lived daughters, so the actual health risk is from atoms of the daughters that cling to dust and go straight into the lungs.
We have a spare ampifier up on a shelf that I've been meaning to exploit to drive some tests, a sort of op-amp with attitude called a BOP. I needed some technical information on it, so I Googled it this afternoon.
The first page of hits turned up several references to a study of anomolous heat production with hydrogen and palladium electrodes.
On the second page of hits was a project on a Hall thruster.
Durn, what I had in mind doing with it was so mundane!
The first page of hits turned up several references to a study of anomolous heat production with hydrogen and palladium electrodes.
On the second page of hits was a project on a Hall thruster.
Durn, what I had in mind doing with it was so mundane!
or you could do this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCHPo3EA7oE (check out from 1:45 on)Tom Ligon wrote:Durn, what I had in mind doing with it was so mundane!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v0c0Al5X0g
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is.
I was disappointed to learn the Sun is basically a big compost heap.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun
n*kBolt*Te = B**2/(2*mu0) and B^.25 loss scaling? Or not so much? Hopefully we'll know soon...
It's funny that a regular joe won't believe you. The ratio of the surface area to the volume is wide. How may cubic inches per square inch of sun? Gotta be about a KingKongGillian. (1000 Mothrillian) 10**6 Godzillian.TallDave wrote:I was disappointed to learn the Sun is basically a big compost heap.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun
The proton-proton fusion reaction takes a very long time to complete (about 1 billion years). The average power density is quite low, although a star makes up for it with massive volume.TallDave wrote:I was disappointed to learn the Sun is basically a big compost heap.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun
thank God it is only a compost heap! If it were thermo-neuclar weapon power density... well... I guess it would make a hyper-Nova look small, no?
Last edited by KitemanSA on Sat Apr 03, 2010 1:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ah, yes, but it is a vibrating compost heap!
The parallels between the appearance of the surface of the sun and that corn starch slurry experiment are striking. I've read for a decade or two about the studies on sound waves passing thru the sun, and that experiment has me wondering if some prominences might be due to similar effects.
And will I ever be able to pass a compost heap again without thinking about this? Sheesh!
The parallels between the appearance of the surface of the sun and that corn starch slurry experiment are striking. I've read for a decade or two about the studies on sound waves passing thru the sun, and that experiment has me wondering if some prominences might be due to similar effects.
And will I ever be able to pass a compost heap again without thinking about this? Sheesh!
Tom, don't forget the issue of radon created by coal fly ash used as filler in concrete foundations. The radionuclide content of fly ash is well documented but congress still allows the coal industry to sell the stuff for use in concrete and other landfill uses. Then people wonder why 'hot spots' and radon problems pop up.
Generally the naturally occuring isotopes of radon (particularly those resulting from natural uranium decay) don't last long enough to be a problem (seconds to minutes generally). Its the radon resulting from decay of other isotopes that have longer half lives. The public keeps getting told its due to ground deposits and not the fly ash in their foundations in order to avoid a massive economy bankrupting class action.
Generally the naturally occuring isotopes of radon (particularly those resulting from natural uranium decay) don't last long enough to be a problem (seconds to minutes generally). Its the radon resulting from decay of other isotopes that have longer half lives. The public keeps getting told its due to ground deposits and not the fly ash in their foundations in order to avoid a massive economy bankrupting class action.
That is the first time I've seen that aspect of oobleck. I've just known if for its piezo-rheologic (dilatant) properties.Tom Ligon wrote: The parallels between the appearance of the surface of the sun and that corn starch slurry experiment are striking.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oobleck
Good thing for us, since it took us 4 billion years to get started.kurt9 wrote:The proton-proton fusion reaction takes a very long time to complete (about 1 billion years). The average power density is quite low, although a star makes up for it with massive volume.TallDave wrote:I was disappointed to learn the Sun is basically a big compost heap.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun
It's funny, the DOE advanced energy lab that originally showed cold fusion no longer exists. This late minimal vindication must be cold comfort to those involved (npi). No wonder ONR is so paranoid about data release.
n*kBolt*Te = B**2/(2*mu0) and B^.25 loss scaling? Or not so much? Hopefully we'll know soon...
Hmnmm, would life really be worth living without my granite counters?The thing about Radon exposure is that it tends to be those of a slightly higher social standing who are exposed, the main source of this exposure being from granite. Not many people can afford granite kitchen surfaces and a lot of the statistics will also come from areas where the main building material was traditionally granite.
I used to stop by Home Depot every weekend and lust over the Blue Pearl. Finally got them when I built my new place.
Now I'm curious, I'll have to see how much a radon detector is.
n*kBolt*Te = B**2/(2*mu0) and B^.25 loss scaling? Or not so much? Hopefully we'll know soon...