Updates
facial_recognition Python package Created 2024-08-15 Updated 2025-07-16superuser.com/questions/420885/is-there-a-face-recognition-command-line-tool/1852394#1852394 played with the
face_recognition Python package: github.com/ageitgey/face_recognition Cute CLI API, but disappointing accuracy. Also at:Thanks Adam Geitgey for putting that repo up.
Updates Marie Curie papers Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Under Section "Publication by Marie Curie" I did a quick overview of the papers in which Marie Curie and collaborators publish the existence of new elements polonium and radium. Both are very understandable (except the chemistry), and have some cute terminology. I also cited those papers on her Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marie_Curie&diff=1240252528&oldid=1238097626 Another good exercise in "old paper finding" + "Wikipedia markup/rules" as I looked at the Comptes rendus de l'Académie des Sciences a bit.
The RaLa Experiment by Our Own Devices
. Source. The poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Alexander Litvinenko Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Russian dissident Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Do all gamma rays have the same energy during a given nuclear reaction? Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
The following cobalt-60 diagrams suggest that some lines are clearly visible in specific nuclear reactions:
Also this one:
Alpha particles have low penetration depth Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
They are stopped by:Therefore, alpha emitters are not too dangerous unless ingested.
Comptes rendus de l'Académie des Sciences Tome 127 Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
This one contains a PDF with OCR: archive.org/details/ComptesRendusAcademieDesSciences0127/page/n5/mode/2up
Gun-type fission weapons don't work with plutonium Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Gun-type fission weapons don't work with Plutonium-239 because of the presence of Plutonium-240 as an impurity which leads to fizzle.
Good mentions at: youtu.be/dgBDvnqMkT4?t=252
Gamma spectroscopy Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Gamma spectroscopy of a Uranium ore
. Source. Several points of the Uranium 238 decay chain are clearly visible. Thorium-232 decay chain Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Breeder reactor Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
A nuclear reactor made to produce specific isotopes rather than just consume fissile material to produce electrical power. The most notably application being to produce Plutonium-239 for nuclear weapons from Uranium-238 being irradiated from Uranium-235-created fission.
Tome of the Comptes rendus de l'Académie des Sciences Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Weapon grade Plutonium is cheaper than weapon grade Uranium Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Because you can generate plutonium-239 from uranium-238 in a breeder reactor, and then separate the plutonium-239 from the Uranium simply by using chemistry methods because you've created an element with different valence electrons.
Isn't it somewhat funny that it is easier to purify a synthetic element than a naturally occurring one?
Thorium-232 Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
GPHS-RTG Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Polonium-209 Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Polonium-208 Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Plutonium-240 Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
This isotope shows up as an inevitable contaminant in Plutonium-239 for nuclear weapons, because it emits neutrons too fast and makes it harder to assemble the critical mass without fizzle.
It is the presence of this contaminant that made implosion-type fission weapon a necessity: Section "Gun-type fission weapons don't work with plutonium".
Plutonium-239 Created 2024-08-14 Updated 2025-07-16
Plutonium-240 is a contaminant.
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