Chapter 119 Civilization Two 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 an area that immediately came to the Agency’s attention.”
"Because this uranium mine has never been mined, the concentration has dropped by half."
"Because the half-life of uranium is 45 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 to less than , if it occurs naturally."
"It will take at least another 45 billion years, which means a total of 90 billion years."
"Only the uranium ore on Oklo can decay to a concentration of about ."
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.
Give me a metaphor.
When the original Blue Star was born, the concentration of uranium ore should have been about .
After 45 billion years, it happens to be the half-life of uranium.
So now the uranium ore on Blue Star is about .
If another 45 billion years pass, the concentration of uranium ore will only be about .
The situation here in Oklo is so weird.
"Certainly this situation has attracted worldwide attention."
"Whether this occurs naturally or is man-made, it is worthy of humankind's 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 deposits in this area by 45 billion years."
When it comes to here.
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 the universe was like when it exploded."
"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 is the uranium concentration going down?"
"Natural causes have been ruled out, and time machine causes have been ruled out."
"Then that leaves one possibility, albeit a very implausible one."
"But after eliminating all possibilities, 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 enjoy large-scale peace now, it's 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 had 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 20 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 30 types of radiation products after nuclear reactions."
"And it is estimated that this nuclear reaction occurred 20 billion years ago."
"Finally come to a conclusion."
"This area creates a special natural environment."
"This environment can cause the ore in this mining area to undergo a nuclear reaction."
"This reaction started 20 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?"
"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 20 billion years until now, there have been no accidents.
Not even a nuclear explosion occurred.
"Do you believe this statement?"
"Natural nuclear reactors that are 20 billion years old and continue to operate."
"Nothing went wrong, and it just happened to be discovered by us modern humans."
"Everyone knows how dangerous nuclear reactors are."
"Since the emergence of nuclear energy, there have been countless nuclear accidents."
"Chernobyl in the Soviet Union."
"The most recent incident is the secret discharge of nuclear sewage from the Radial Island, which has caused widespread resentment around the world."
"Even with modern technology and management, so many accidents happen."
“And it’s irreversible after it happens.”
"And the 'natural' nuclear reactor in the Oklo area has been operating stably and continuously for 20 billion years?"
"Think about how low the probability is?"
"We don't even know how likely it is that a natural nuclear reactor will occur."
"If you add up the two things, how low is the probability?"
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 remnant of a civilization."
"Made by a civilization two billion years ago."
"You can build a nuclear reactor with something so simple."
"You may think that their technology must be very advanced."
"Perhaps there is another possibility. Maybe nuclear energy is not as difficult as we think?"
(End of this chapter)