3 ms·

I really, really hope this is true. :) Nuclear-weapon suppression field, anyone?

• Herring 18y ago
  The change in decay rate was on the order of .1%
  • randallsquared 18y ago
    Still, the idea that low energy EM can affect nuclear decay even that strongly suggests new physics that might lead to more EM-nuclear coupled devices. I'm sure it's far too early for reasonable speculation, but I'm excited. :)
• steelhive 18y ago
  You are to be commended to think like that. But past evidence suggests we'd more likely use the knowledge to increase nuclear decay and make improved weapons.
  • randallsquared 18y ago
    Given that the nuclear batteries for various outer-system probes still work properly, I think it's far less likely that an increase is possible. Standard decay rates seem likely to be close to the maximum possible, since only slowing was reported. I'm not sure if anyone's used nuclear-powered spacecraft closer to the sun; it doesn't seem likely, since solar power is plentiful there.
    • DabAsteroid 18y ago
      I'm not sure if anyone's used nuclear-powered spacecraft closer to the sun http://www.google.com/search?q=rtg+sun+nasa+Ulysses http://www.google.com/search?q=rtg+sun+nasa+Ulysses Ulysses was in the news in 1996-1997 because NASA's Cassini-RTG decision was being criticized. The argument was that NASA's can't-use-solar-at-the-distance-of-Saturn argument didn't hold water in light of the fact that NASA even chose to put an RTG on a Sun explorer. it doesn't seem likely, since solar power is plentiful there. That was the crux of the NASA-can't-be-trusted argument.