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My Science News tonight had a very interesting article. It seems someone had installed a special device to detect radioactive decay from inside the earth. According to the author there is enough Uranium and Thorium going through radioactive decay in the earth’s core that it produces the equivalent energy of 10,000 nuclear (nukler?) power plants.
It would make sense that Thorium and Uranium would be at the center of the earth. Since Uranium is the heaviest naturally occurring element (12% heavier than lead) and Thorium very close, they would sink to the center of the earth, when it was molten and setup a naturally occurring nuclear reactor.
This radioactive decay contributes about half the heat that is found in the earth’s core. I always rather wondered how the earth’s core could stay so hot for, as Carl Sagan would say, billions and billions and billions of years. The nuclear decay taking place puts a piece in the puzzle for me. That also tells me the earth’s core is like loosing very little heat.
It appears the earth’s core will remain very hot for more billions and billions of years. That said I understand the sun is the one to die first. I understand that it won’t last much more that another 30 million years when it will become a super nova and engulf the earth.
Much as the distresses me, I’m a pretty laid back kind of guy. I still sleep well at night.
Posted by The Vorlon at August 2, 2005 8:24 PM