Atomic story 2

Splitting the Atom

Well before WWII in the early 20th Century scientist were working on Nuclear (Atomic) Physics and chemistry.

The neutron was discovered by James Chadwick at the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge in February 1932. In April 1932, his Cavendish colleagues John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton split lithium atoms with accelerated protons. Enrico Fermi and his team in Rome conducted experiments involving the bombardment of elements by slow neutrons, which produced heavier elements and isotopes. Then, in December 1938, Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann at Hahn's laboratory in Berlin-Dahlem bombarded uranium with slowed neutrons, and discovered that barium had been produced, and therefore that the uranium nucleus had been split. Hahn wrote to his colleague Lise Meitner, who, with her nephew Otto Frisch, developed a theoretical justification for the process, which they published in Nature in 1939. By analogy with the division of biological cells, they named the process "fission".

The discovery of fission raised the possibility that a very powerful bomb could be produced. A few hundred pounds of say Uranium or so could produce an explosion the equivalent of many thousands of tons of high explosive. At this time no one was sure.

A very sinister story begins in WWII

i want to begin with how we think we have a "special relationship"

Legacy of WWII

I’m going to tell you story, a true story. What I can’t tell you, are the gaps! You see we only know actually what we are allowed to know. Unlike the USA we don’t have “Freedom of Information”. You might think so but we don’t. Although people don’t sign the Official Secrets act any more the reason is that they don’t have to, the Law still applies even if you haven’t signed it. It’s implicit.
Only certain documents have been declassified in Britain, many of them are “lost”, so can’t be shown any more (likely story, many have been destroyed, deliberately).
Anyway what we have are records of what did happen and if you add together what happened in US which is still documented and now declassified I think you can see the parallels and fill in the gaps. Actually I think that’s what science is about, you have a theory and adding up the evidence that you have you carry on finding evidence to prove your theory. It’s not Hype and hysteria it’s based on true facts and science. As I said I have a theory and you may agree with my conclusions. What we are left with is still unexplainable and in my opinion needs a thorough investigation by the relevant authorities and people. NOT a cover up.
If nothing else I think this is a fascinating story. Let’s start with some background, the development of Nuclear power and the Atom bomb.

Oil - where to go?

we're all pleased that the price of Petrol/diesel is falling but should we worry?

It was not that long ago that we all were hurting as the Government slapped on regular duty rises to put us off using oil.

So what's changed?

The recession has choked demand, the Arabs are still pumping and the Us has shale oil and gas.

What's happening and why we should be worried - well a bit.

If the price keeps falling then a lot of oil companies will go under and it won't be worth Fracking and getting the  hard to get to oil out.

HOORAH!

But what will happen is the Arabs will end up with a Monopoly! they will buy out all these falling companies as their share prices crash - good strategy eh? but where will this lead us - World Domination by the Arabs etc.

Possibly a worse threat to to world stability that Al Qaeda or ISIS.

Watch this space.