Atom Bombing the Atom Bomb
SIR,—As a huthan being interested in the prospect of my scientific annihilation and therefore perusing Einstein's formula E=mc2, I would like to know• whether active attention is being given to the antidote which Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs appear capable of supplying to
their own violence. ,•
In simple terms (and will any correspondent good enough to enlighten me please remember that I can understand only simple lay terms) the theory of nuclear violence is this. The fusion of the lighter elements—as in the Hydrogen Bomb—or the fission of the heavier elements—as in the Atomic Bomb—results in a loss of mass. That is to say, in the peculiarities of nuclear mathematics, 2+ joined to 21 gives 4 and likewise 10+ divided gives 5 and 5; in each case the 'dis- appearing f converts into energy of a high order, for m, the 1, is multiplied by c2, the square of the speed of light, some 900,000,000,000,000. Hence the bang in the Bomb.
But the reverse is equally true. The fission of the smaller elements- 4 into 2+ and 2f—or the fusion of the larger elements-5 joined to 5 to make 10+—gives a gain of mass, with accompanying absorption of energy of the same higfi order. Apart from its uses in refrigeration, this would suggest to a layman an ideal process to set going in the presence of the energy released in the Hydrogen and Atomic Bombs.
The idea of suitable deposits of potential nuclear blotting paper scattered widely in target areas is, at least, theoretically consoling.—
Previous page
