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In 1972, a piece of uranium was extracted from a mine in Africa and was discovered to be in fact a two-billion-year-old natural nuclear reactor called "Oklo", after the place where it was discovered. Its existence mystified scientists at the time, but research over the decades has helped explain its unusual properties and how it was created. Some of the Oklo fragments are preserved in the Natural History Museum in Vienna, Austria, and serve to illustrate the natural occurrence of radioactivity in nature.
The discovery of natural uranium ore in Africa in 1972 left scientists perplexed.
French physicist Francis Perrin was the first scientist to analyze high-grade uranium ore that had come out of a mine in Gabon, on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, and was concerned when he discovered that it contained a lower percentage of uranium 235. (U-235) than expected.
All natural uranium mined today contains 0.720% U-235. But the Oklo ore contained only 0.717%.
The radioactive material that had decayed contradicted all accepted scientific data on the constant ratio of radioactive uranium to the ore, and scientists initially assumed that it must have been treated by unnatural means before it reached Perrin's hands, suspecting that some of the U-235 isotopes had been forced to split in a nuclear chain reaction.
The scientific community had to accept that natural fission had occurred.
Although scientists suspected artificial fission, they later recognized that the ore had undergone a natural fission process in the Earth's crust more than two billion years ago, and that traces of fission products had been left behind, allowing scientists to identify them. .
Ludovic Ferrière, curator of the rock collection at the Natural History Museum in Vienna, Austria, explained:
"After further studies, including in-situ examinations, they discovered that the uranium ore had undergone fission on its own." There was no other explanation. »
There are other forms of energy that are emitted from the Earth. Scientists have long considered the possibility of harnessing the Earth's magnetic field to generate energy. One theory suggests that the induction process could be used to extract energy from the planet's magnetic field.
Oklo fragments on display in Austria
Pieces of the Oklo mineral are on display at the Natural History Museum in Vienna. The accompanying exhibit educates visitors about the natural occurrence of radioactivity and illustrates the process of natural nuclear fission. It is now accepted that low levels of radiation of the kind found in the ordinary environment are harmless.
"We want people to learn more about natural radioactivity, to let them know that radioactivity is everywhere around us, that it is natural, and that at low levels it is not dangerous." »
How does the natural phenomenon of nuclear fission occur? Looking at the processes that led to the creation of naturally decayed uranium, it is assumed that the African deposits would have had a critical mass of U-235 for the reaction to begin. A second essential factor was that a moderator was needed for a nuclear chain reaction to occur and continue. In this case, the moderator was water, which slowed down the neutrons. Fission would not be possible without water, because the atoms simply would not split.
The exact conditions of 2 billion years ago could have occurred elsewhere
Peter Woods, team leader for uranium production at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), explained:
"Just like in a man-made water nuclear reactor, the fission reactions, without any way to slow down the neutrons, to moderate them, just stop. Water acted as a moderator at Oklo, absorbing neutrons, controlling the chain reaction. »
The specific geological context of the area where Oklo was discovered played a major role in the formation of the uranium ore.
Experts believe that other natural reactors must have occurred in other parts of the world, but it is likely that they have been destroyed by geological processes, eroded or submerged, or simply do not exist. The possibility that such deposits are waiting to be discovered and studied is an exciting prospect.
As for nuclear energy, it is expected that the first exploration expeditions to Mars will likely use nuclear energy to support life.
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