Episode 25: Links
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Uranium Enrichment
PBMR (Pebble Bed Modular Reactor) -- Encases
the uranium inside a graphite moderator shell which is difficult to remove and thus difficult to extract uranium for enrichment.
Mixed Oxide Reactors -- Don't require enrichment to operate because they burn the U-238 and all actinydes in the fuel (amercium, thorium, uranium, etc.) (This is the reactor type President Bush was referring to when he spoke of "nuclear recycling".)
Thorium Reactors – Development stage technology that uses thorium instead of
uranium. According to our listener, this type of reactor inherently difficult to use to make a bomb and is meltdown proof because it is not fissile itself, but becomes fissile and reacts when it absorbs a neutron and becomes U233.
Thanks to “PowerPointSamauri” for this information.
Troublesome Bird Flu Developments
Note: It is currently unclear to me whether 8 people fell ill and 7 died, or 7 people fell ill and 6 people died in this recent Indonesian bird flu cluster. I will try to update this when I find some definitive information. (But regardless of the exact numbers, the fact that this looks like a human-to-human-to-human transmission makes this an important development.)
UPDATE: According to Forbes, six people in the family are known to have died of the bird flu, and a seventh is presumed to have died of the bird flu, but was buried before tests could be done. But, according to Medical News Today, seven people in the family died of the bird flu and an eighth was presumed to have died of the bird flu. So I'm still trying to sort out the actual numbers. (Also, neither of these new sources mention the one family member I read about earlier who was infected but lived, so I'm on the lookout for new info about that person too.)
Cervical Cancer Vaccine
Final say from FDA expected in early June.
Would you give your sons the vaccine? Write and tell us your opinion at absolutescience@welltopia.com
Smoking Cessation Drug Approved
Stem Cell Fraud Update
South Korean stem cell scientist and associates indicted.
FEATURE: THANK YOU FOR SMOKING: The story of scientists who work in controversial fields.
Memory Tricks
A listener's fun secret for remembering that lines of longitude run up and down on the globe.
Thanks for listening
Feedback to absolutescience@welltopia.com
Uranium Enrichment
PBMR (Pebble Bed Modular Reactor) -- Encases
the uranium inside a graphite moderator shell which is difficult to remove and thus difficult to extract uranium for enrichment.
Mixed Oxide Reactors -- Don't require enrichment to operate because they burn the U-238 and all actinydes in the fuel (amercium, thorium, uranium, etc.) (This is the reactor type President Bush was referring to when he spoke of "nuclear recycling".)
Thorium Reactors – Development stage technology that uses thorium instead of
uranium. According to our listener, this type of reactor inherently difficult to use to make a bomb and is meltdown proof because it is not fissile itself, but becomes fissile and reacts when it absorbs a neutron and becomes U233.
Thanks to “PowerPointSamauri” for this information.
Troublesome Bird Flu Developments
- Likely human-to-human transmission in a family cluster of bird flu cases in Indonesia.
- Bird flu victim fled authorities.
- Effect Measure Blog
- UPDATE (1:05 a.m. ET, 5/26): Indonesia reports two more human bird flu cases in siblings. Findings still to be confirmed by WHO.
Note: It is currently unclear to me whether 8 people fell ill and 7 died, or 7 people fell ill and 6 people died in this recent Indonesian bird flu cluster. I will try to update this when I find some definitive information. (But regardless of the exact numbers, the fact that this looks like a human-to-human-to-human transmission makes this an important development.)
UPDATE: According to Forbes, six people in the family are known to have died of the bird flu, and a seventh is presumed to have died of the bird flu, but was buried before tests could be done. But, according to Medical News Today, seven people in the family died of the bird flu and an eighth was presumed to have died of the bird flu. So I'm still trying to sort out the actual numbers. (Also, neither of these new sources mention the one family member I read about earlier who was infected but lived, so I'm on the lookout for new info about that person too.)
Cervical Cancer Vaccine
Final say from FDA expected in early June.
Would you give your sons the vaccine? Write and tell us your opinion at absolutescience@welltopia.com
Smoking Cessation Drug Approved
- FDA Approves Chantix
- It's a partial agonist for the alpha4beta2 nicotinic acteylcholine receptor subtypes
- It blocks the nicotine from entering relevant parts of the brain, thus eliminating the reward a smoker feels when he/she smokes.
- It also partially activates the nicotinic receptor and reduce the severity of the smoker's craving and the withdrawal symptoms from nicotine.
Stem Cell Fraud Update
South Korean stem cell scientist and associates indicted.
FEATURE: THANK YOU FOR SMOKING: The story of scientists who work in controversial fields.
Memory Tricks
A listener's fun secret for remembering that lines of longitude run up and down on the globe.
Thanks for listening
Feedback to absolutescience@welltopia.com
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