For over a century, humanity has generated radioactive waste, necessitating ingenious and sometimes unconventional storage solutions. From spent nuclear fuel rods cooling in deep swimming pools to hazardous liquids being turned into solid glass for millennia, the methods are diverse. This exploration delves into the surprising science behind managing hazardous waste from power plants, hospitals, and even the world’s largest particle accelerator.
Storing Radioactive Waste Is Weirder Than You Think
From deep underwater pools and solid glass cakes to simple empty rooms in hospitals, the ways we store radioactive waste are far weirder than you might imagine.
Related Posts
Why pineapple leaves are a promising candidate to replace plastic materials used in single-use masks
(Istock) Dwi Umi Siswanti, Universitas Gadjah Mada and Tiara Putri, Universitas Gadjah Mada The COVID-19 pandemic has led…
Linking protected areas from Yellowstone to the Yukon shows the value of conserving large landscapes, not just isolated parks and preserves
Fresh grizzly bear tracks in Yellowstone National Park. Jacob W. Frank, NPS/Flickr Charles C. Chester, Brandeis University and…
Do Odd Perfect Numbers Exist?
Learn about the oldest unsolved problem in mathematics, which dates back 2000 years. The problem revolves around the…
A new twist on Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle can sharpen quantum sensors
dianaarturovna / Getty Images Tingrei Tan, University of Sydney and Christophe Valahu, University of Sydney For almost a…