Here is a brief video demonstration of radiation contamination and cleanup. This is a very basic video and there is a lot that isn’t covered here, but this video should give you a basic understanding of the difference between radiation itself, and radioactive contamination.
Nukes
Nuclear energy, geiger counters, uranium glass, etc. My latest and greatest hobby!
This is my long fb post addressing an article that attacks nuclear energy by claiming that renewables are cheaper.
Cleantechnica article shared by Global Warming “Fact” Of The Day:
“Correcting Anti-Renewable Energy Propaganda” [1]
Buckle up, this is a long one.
They start out by attacking nuclear energy, our largest source of clean energy, and referring to proponents as “anti-renewable propagandists.” Continue Reading
Parodies for Nuclear Power.
Lizzo – Truth Hurts parody. Here’s the original for reference, and here’s an instrumental version for anyone who wants to sing along.
Why wind great ’til it gotta blow great? Continue Reading
In past posts I’ve talked about the arguments against nuclear energy, and refutations to those arguments (1. Basics, 2. Capacity, 3. Waste, 4. Cost). But what is nuclear energy? In this post, we will explore how nuclear power is generated.
So, what exactly is nuclear energy? Continue Reading
Here are three short videos I made on the main functions of the CDV-718 survey meter. This is the same as the military Radiac Set AN/VDR-2, except that it’s Civil Defense (FEMA) Yellow instead of Olive Drab green, and it reads in Roentgen (R) and mR, instead of Grey (Gy) and mGy. Continue Reading
To go along with my posts Radium Sources and Uranium Glass, here are my miscellaneous samples that don’t fit easily into either category (despite some having the same active elements). These are Fiestaware, uranium ore samples, thorium sources, and a few other things I have laying around. All these and more can also be found on my Instagram page. Enjoy! Continue Reading
To go along with my Uranium Glass and Other Sources posts, here are the pics of my radium sources; clocks, watches and compasses. In the first couple decades of the 1900’s, radium was painted onto things like clocks because it glows in the dark; hit it with a blacklight, and not only will it glow, but the glow fades away slowly too. Of course, that depends on how depleted the radium is. Again, like with the glass, these are very safe to own and keep, just wash your hands after handling and don’t touch any of the faces directly if you happen to have one missing a cover or something. Continue Reading
I’ve done CPM (counts-per-minute) readings on pretty much all of my radiation sources with the Radalert 50. Below are all my uranium-glass sources. Some are Vaseline glass, some are custard glass, some I’m not sure about, but they all were colored with uranium (or thorium) and so they read on the Geiger counters. They are perfectly safe to have and even to use; the radiation levels they emit are negligible. Continue Reading
I picked up a “Double Cooler” today, a drink cooler with internal and external compartments for the purpose of having two separate drinks in one cooler. Continue Reading
Did a few Gamma Specs today, here are the results.
The first one was an orange Fiestaware cup. I believe they colored it with Uranium-Oxide, which is what makes it radioactive. The results here show us that Thorium-234 and Uranium-235 are both certainly present.
Continue Reading
Gamma Spectroscopy is the identification of radioactive isotopes based on the gamma radiation energies emitted by a source. As a home gamma spectrometry hobbyist, I use radioactive sources such as vaseline glass (colored using Uranium), orange Fiestaware (colored with Uranium oxide), Radium-painted watches and clocks, Thorium lantern mantles, and even Uranium ore samples. Most of these are examples of common household items that emit radiation, and I find many of these items at antique stores (most of these things made today do not contain radioactive elements). Continue Reading
Many studies have been done analyzing the cost of installing, running and maintaining nuclear power plants (NPP’s), and many articles and blogs have been written arguing for or against nuclear using cost as an argument; most articles that lean heavily on the cost argument are trying to explain why nuclear isn’t feasible. I will talk briefly about that but then I’m going to attack this issue from a slightly different angle. Continue Reading
Less than a year ago I downloaded a joke Geiger Counter app that would sound like something hot was nearby if you turn your phone a certain way. I played with it at the grocery store to try to mess with people but I don’t think anyone even noticed. Continue Reading
Why nuclear, and not wind and solar? Less waste.
Another major argument that’s often used against nuclear energy is the issue of waste; what to do with spent fuel rods, contaminated parts, etc. It is often said that nuclear waste can remain radioactive for tens of thousands of years. Continue Reading
For starters, we absolutely need to get away from fossil fuels. The argument that the earth warms and cools over cycles that last thousands of years are based on a half-truth; this cycle consistently has global Carbon Dioxide levels of around 180 part per million during ice ages, and around 280 ppm during the warmer times. Continue Reading
Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted (over a year actually). I have a new hobby, I own a couple of Geiger counters now, so I collect uranium glass and similar low-level radioactive items. I’m in the process of writing a paper where I look at all the main arguments for and against nuclear energy and analyze them. Here is a basic outline/summary of what I have so far. Citations will be given in a future post, this is just a draft. Continue Reading
