Chapter 119 Civilization 2 Billion Years Ago
You know, even now in the 21st century.
Uranium ore is still a controlled substance.
After all, this is the raw material for making enriched uranium.
Uranium-235 is the key material for nuclear bombs.
Therefore, uranium mines have always attracted international attention.
“Oklo was immediately noticed by the IAEA.”
"Because this uranium mine has never been mined, the concentration has dropped by half."
"Because the half-life of uranium is 4.5 billion years, which is almost the same age as the Blue Star."
"So when Blue Star first started, all the uranium ore now had twice the amount it does now."
"Now the concentration has changed from 0.7% to less than 0.3%, if it occurs naturally."
"It will take at least another 4.5 billion years, which means a total of 9 billion years."
"Only the uranium ore on Oklo can decay to a concentration of about 0.3%."
Because all reflective elements decay.
The half-life is the time it takes for a radioactive element to decay to half of its original form.
Let me give you a metaphor.
When the original Blue Star was born, the concentration of uranium ore should have been about 1.4%.
After 4.5 billion years, it happens to be the half-life of uranium.
So now the uranium ore on Blue Star is about 0.7%.
If another 4.5 billion years pass, the concentration of uranium ore will only be about 0.35%.
The situation here in Oklo is so weird.
"Of course this situation has attracted worldwide attention."
"Whether this occurs naturally or is man-made, it is worthy of human beings' time to investigate."
"As I said before, the half-life is extremely stable and does not change due to external factors."
"Unless someone invented a time machine and accelerated the uranium mines in this area by 4.5 billion years."
When it comes to this.
The audience couldn't help laughing.
"Hahaha, who could be so boring?"
"That's right. If you had a time machine, would you still use it to do this?"
"If I had a time machine, I would go and see what it was like when the Big Bang happened."
"Hmph! Just use it! Our Space and Time Management Bureau has arrested you all!"
"Is it possible that some small countries secretly extracted uranium?"
After all, if you really have time machine technology.
You wouldn't be bored enough to do this kind of thing.
The audience is already thinking about what they would do with a time machine.
But Ye Zhen pulled them back with just one word.
"So people from the International Atomic Energy Agency immediately sent people to investigate."
"But a very amazing fact was discovered, which made many physicists begin to doubt the world."
"Like I said before, why does the concentration of uranium ore decrease."
"Natural causes have been ruled out, and time machine causes have been ruled out."
"Then there is one possibility left, although it is very implausible."
"But after eliminating all impossibilities, the remaining result, no matter how outrageous, can only be the correct answer."
"These uranium mines have been used by others." There is nothing strange about Ye Zhen's words.
Some viewers have already guessed it.
"I told you a long time ago that someone must have secretly used these uranium ores."
"After all, uranium mines are still very sensitive internationally."
Although uranium ore is nominally freely traded.
But only in those few countries, everyone understands.
Because even after possessing uranium mines, not every country can achieve the technology of enriching uranium.
Just like the refining of oxygen 18, not everyone can do it casually.
"After all, once you have uranium ore, you can theoretically make nuclear weapons."
"You know, World War II ended early because of the emergence of nuclear bombs."
"And later during the Cold War, when the two superpowers faced off, it was because of nuclear deterrence."
"To the extent that Blue Star can now enjoy large-scale peace, it is all because of nuclear bombs."
"So people from the International Atomic Energy Agency sent people to investigate."
"Which country actually secretly used the uranium mine here."
At that time, there was a wave of investigation.
Everyone is wondering which country is secretly researching nuclear bombs.
After all, no big country now wants other countries to have nuclear bombs anymore.
After all, it is best to master this weapon that can destroy mankind.
"The investigation found that no country has used it."
"Finally they discovered a surprising fact."
"This Oklo area is actually a nuclear reactor." "And it is a nuclear reactor that has existed for 2 billion years." Ye Zhen said calmly.
But the result was beyond everyone's expectations.
"What? A reactor from two billion years ago."
"How is this possible? Do you want to say that this is a natural formation?"
"This can't be a legacy from some prehistoric civilization."
"Even with our current technology, it is very difficult to build a nuclear reactor!"
Ye Zhen showed pictures of the Oklo area.
"This is a photo taken by the International Atomic Energy Agency at that time."
"After their research, they found 17 locations in the Oklo area."
"There are actually more than thirty kinds of radiation products after nuclear reactions."
"And it is estimated that this nuclear reaction occurred 2 billion years ago."
"Finally come to a conclusion."
"This area forms a special natural environment."
"This environment can cause the ore in this mining area to undergo a nuclear reaction."
"This reaction started 2 billion years ago and has continued intermittently."
"So this is a natural nuclear reactor."
Ye Zhen announced the results of the investigation that year.
This is the first time for many viewers to know about this.
"A naturally occurring nuclear reactor?"
"This is impossible. To achieve a nuclear reaction now requires extremely stringent conditions."
"How is it possible to form a natural environment? If it is possible, why don't we just imitate it directly."
"This is wrong, very wrong."
When it was announced that year, scientists wrote very abundant theoretical basis.
But most people can't understand it. After all, it involves a lot of professional knowledge.
The final result is this Oklo area.
By chance two billion years ago, a nuclear reaction occurred.
The uranium ore in the entire mining area has been consumed.
So now the uranium ore content has dropped.
This was what was said to the outside world at the time.
After all, nature is so miraculous that anything can happen.
But can the natural environment really form a natural nuclear reactor?
If this is the case, wouldn't it mean that we don't need the nuclear reactors we have now?
Just imitate the Oklo area to create an identical nuclear reactor.
And how stable this reactor is!
From the beginning of 2 billion years until now, there have been no accidents.
Not even a nuclear explosion occurred.
"Do you believe this statement?"
"A natural nuclear reactor that was 2 billion years old and continues to operate."
"Nothing went wrong, and it happened to be discovered by us modern people."
"Everyone knows how dangerous nuclear reactors are."
"Since the emergence of nuclear energy, there have been countless nuclear accidents."
"Chernobyl in the former Soviet Union."
"The latest incident is the secret discharge of nuclear wastewater from Radial Island, which has caused widespread complaints around the world."
"Even with modern technological management, so many accidents happen."
"And it is irreversible after it happens."
"And the 'natural' nuclear reactor in the Oklo area has been operating stably and continuously for 2 billion years?"
"Think about how low the probability is?"
"I don’t even know how likely a natural nuclear reactor is to occur."
"How low is the probability of adding up the two things?"
Ye Zhen's words were recognized by the audience.
Although the scientific community says this is a natural reactor.
But this is too unreasonable.
"Then there is only one possible explanation."
"This nuclear reactor is a relic of a civilization."
"Made by a civilization two billion years ago."
"A nuclear reactor can be built with such simple things."
"You may think that their technology must be very advanced."
"Perhaps there is another possibility. Nuclear energy may not be as difficult as we think?"
(End of chapter)