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How Radioactive Cleanup Works
It's lunchtime, and you've spastically spilled soda all over your desk. Chances are you could tackle that mess faster than we could say "Mr. Clean." What do you do though when the spill is radioactive?
NUCLEAR SCIENCE
Nuclear science is the study of sub-atomic particles and their application in various disciplines. Here you can learn about nuclear power plants, atomic theory and radiation.
Stuff You Should Know
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5 Baffling Subatomic ParticlesBatman and particle physicists have a lot in common. While Batman brawls with anarchist clowns and mutated ecoterrorists, CERN scientists chase down their own notable adversaries. Get to know five of them. See more »
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Alpha, Beta or Gamma? It's the Nuclear Radiation Quiz
We live in a radioactive world, and we're not just talking about the times when a nuclear plant is melting down and scaring the heck out of us. How much do you know about the ABGs (or alphas, betas and gammas) of nuclear radiation? See more »
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Can people get poisoned by indirect exposure to polonium-210?
British authorities have found traces of polonium-210 in at least five buildings and three British Airways jets since Alexander Litvinenko fell ill. See more »
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Fact or Fiction: Radiation Sickness
Radiation sickness is a horrible way to die, but fortunately it's pretty rare to encounter enough radiation to suffer from it. It has been the cause of some of the more bizarre incidents in history since we began studying and using radioactive materials. See more »
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How a Nuclear Reactor Works
Over the years, nuclear reactors have been viewed as both a miracle and a menace. How does a nuclear reactor do its job? And what happens when something goes wrong? See more »
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How Atom Smashers Work
Atom smashers tell us about the fundamental structure of matter, the forces holding it together and the origins of the universe. Discover how scientists use particle accelerators to break atoms apart to learn about the nature of reality. See more »
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How Atomic Clocks Work
When the power goes out and is later restored, how do you know what time to set your clocks to? Have you ever wondered how time is regulated? Learn how scientists determine exact time. See more »
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How does nuclear waste disposal work?
Nuclear waste epitomizes the double-edged sword of modern technology. It's a toxic and radioactive byproduct of nuclear medicine, nuclear weapons manufacturing and nuclear power plants. See more »
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How easy is it to steal a nuclear bomb?
If you watched "24," you might think real-life Jack Bauers stop bad guys from detonating stolen nukes all the time. Just how hard is it to steal a nuclear weapon? See more »
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How Japan's Nuclear Crisis Works
Explosions, fires and dangerous radiation levels dominated the headlines after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami sparked a nuclear crisis in Japan. How did so many safety measures fail? See more »
