Source: cirosantilli/radioactive-decay

= Radioactive decay
{wiki}

= Radioactivity
{synonym}

= Radioactive
{synonym}

<Ciro Santilli> finds it interesting that radioactive decay basically kickstarted the domain of <nuclear physics> by essentially providing a natural <particle accelerator> from a chunk of radioactive element.

The discovery process was particularly interesting, including <Henri Becquerel>'s luck while observing <phosphorescence>, and <Marie Curie>'s observation that the <uranium> <ore> were more radioactive than pure uranium, and must therefore contain other even more radioactive substances, which lead to the discovery of <polonium> (<half-life> 138 days) and <radium> (half-life 1600 years).