The Physics of Science Fiction: Radiation Part 1

[gadionson1]

very hightech ....

[Ryagful]

RADIATION IS YOUR FRIEND!

[SpreadingtheMuse]

@Ryagful Just ask anyone who owes their life to chemotherapy ;)

[TsundereLightning]

Alpha, beta and gamma radiation is bad news in enough quantities. It's much more likely to give you cancer than to make you hulk out, I admit...

I'm not talking about the usual background stuff from the sun, or even a properly run and maintained fission power plant, but breakdowns like the one in Japan are very serious business, never mind fission weapons.

Then again, I think this is an argument for better fission plants, not for running screaming from nuclear power.

[nakazatoGTR]

win for using BSG clips

[rangeclerk]

Except for a few classical science fiction authors most wrtiers of tv/moive sci fi are Liberal Art Majors with littte or no understanding of the physical sciences (this also includes biological sciences). The other area is biology and how they love 'lamarckian biology' which is not the function of the biological process but the Darwin view (discovered). Enjoy your discussion, well done.

[jasonlajoie]

"Radiation is NOT a holy terror." - Unless you're one of the thousands of Japanese tsunami survivors who's home is now to radioactive to live in. Unless you're living in Japan wondering if you can drink the water or eat the food without getting sick.

I looked at your page after you decided to spew ignorance at me regarding WMDs. I put you in the category of educated-ignorant. You know well from books you've read the mechanics of systems but fail to understand their place in the broader picture.

[SpreadingtheMuse]

@jasonlajoie

Looking at the many many images of Japanese who are enduring their disaster with dignity and grace and zero panic, they obviously dont think its a "holy terror" either. Dont spout off about what you're obvious newb in.

I was absolutely correct about your stupid WMD claim. Your mad charge in here in juvenile "IM GONNA GET EM!" only proves your insecurity.  I watched every second of debate about the Iraq war and know damn well what the russians said. You're ignorant

[jasonlajoie]

@SpreadingtheMuse I stated clearly that the French and German intelligence didn't back up the American intel and that I wasn't aware of the Russians sharing their information. As in I didn't know about the Russian claims. Jesus your comprehension is quite shit as well. No wonder you're having such problems grasping reality.

[SpreadingtheMuse]

@jasonlajoie

BTW, I work hands-on in a nuclear lab, working inside radioactive digs with airborne radiation levels 800x the lethal amount. My work, my personal work experience, and you dont have one newb clue about any of it. Dont pretend to know anything about radiation and make an idiot of yourself.

[rangeclerk]

@jasonlajoie Listen to what he is saying concerning TV/movie sci fi---the TERM RADIATION is EVERYWHERE, radiation in as of itself is not what you need to be concerned about but type, duration, distance and shielding if necessary. LIGHT IS RADIATION---the light bulb in your overhead lights, from your tv etc...

[scrfce123]

Some good points in this video, but it is a proven fact that radiation is nothing to fuck with. Whilst hormesis may pertain to prolonged exposure at low levels, exposure to high level beta/gamma does result in biological damage - including loss of white blood cells, destruction of DNA and burning of tissue. Alpha are potentially carcinogenic due to their inherent ability to manifest inside the body if ingested. Also, radionuclides like Iodine 129 can deposit inside the body forever.

[gooddarkjedi]

sure radiation can be dangerus. and sure you shuld avoid too much radiation. i mean you shuld not swim in nuclear waste. but yeah, tv educates us pretty poorly about radiation. i got to radiation savety days and they educate you pretty well about it. 

[SpreadingtheMuse]

@2682nscovell

I also like the windfalls that surround my house. But nuclear is my profession, so Im prejudiced.

[JheakrynaKyAlur]

what was the movie in the first part of the movie, where the missiles started falling down to earth?

[SpreadingtheMuse]

@JheakrynaKyAlur

That was from the Direct to DVD Battlestar Galactica: The Plan, putting in the destruction of the Colonies that they should have showed us the first time.

[JheakrynaKyAlur]

@SpreadingtheMuse

thx,

only have seen the TV version here in germany, and they are way to lazy to get a proper copy of anything to show us on tv ;)

btw, i really enjoy your shows

[LLnuLLy]

You not tell effect of secondary particles on total dose and displacement damage.

[SpreadingtheMuse]

@LLnuLLy

Secondary particles is way beyond the scope of what I can explain in 13 min. Thats a case by case basis.

[bringerofshadow1]

for all who are still confused, i will sumup this vid in one sentence: radiation is the movement of energy through a medium, meaning light,radio waves, and such are kinds of radiation

[bringerofshadow1]

about the bug and zombie part is it not true that radiation can cause mutation?

[SpreadingtheMuse]

@bringerofshadow1

Radiation will cause DEFORMITY, not necessarily mutation, and thats mainly in fetuses only. It doesnt make you grow large or give you Xray eyes.

[gooddarkjedi]

@SpreadingtheMuse can you make a episode about fastern then light travel and fastern then light particles?

[SpreadingtheMuse]

@gooddarkjedi

It would be hard to find video clips for FTL particles, but the various forms of travel, warp vs hyperspace, is possible. Problem is most shows never bother to explain it.

[gooddarkjedi]

@SpreadingtheMuse ok. still, thanks. :)

[quaeen]

Awsome videos, all of them, i really had to laugh out loud at some points and at the next second i was lost in deep thoughts again.

I'd love to see more videos, maybe a bit more about the radiation? Or other subject, that doesn't matter. I think our world today needs people like you, who understand something really well, but can still explain it to others who don't understand as much.

I once had a teacher, just like you!

Btw:Do you think, that radiation cal really create "monsters" by mutation??

[fcukedupguy]

I've been looking at your videos. So far they're good.

You forgot to mention strong nuclear force and it''s effect on radiation.

[truethera]

Get a quality a bit higher please :D otherways its a great job you doing! srsly, thank you!

[TekLok]

I agree with the point of this video. There is nothing wrong with science fiction or fantasy because its all for fun. But It doesn't make sense to take real terms and skew their meaning. Like for example in that star trek clip they could have made up a new word like omega radiation instead of using gamma. Although you can't be too picky or you ruin it!

[Canemaster0]

This series is incredibly interesting. Thank you :)

[orbeershe]

If you could please humour me, I'm doing a bit of writing on the Halo game, and there is contact talk of plasma weaponry. If plasma is just superheated matter, is there a "preferred" source of matter for weaponry fuel or is it more like a improvised munition, just throwing whatever is on hand into a combustion chamber and nuke to 10 000 degrees? Much thanks;]

[SpreadingtheMuse]

@orbeershe

That I dont know. I know that Plutonium is preferred for Fission bombs, hydrogen is preferred for Fussion bombs, but plasma? I'd have to think that over.

[bringerofshadow1]

@orbeershe the covent (can't spell worth crap) use a spucific gas, one form of gas as the munition of plasma rifles,pistal,cannons. in halo 2 they show the plateform were the plasma making gas is mined. as for my idea im pritty shore they wouldn't just throw anythang in, there lots of diffrent effects and energy requirments per each material

[GreatExterminator]

@orbeershe

Plasma can be nearly anything. I don't think there's a preference.

Technically, it's not a combustion chamber that'll make plasma.

[LLnuLLy]

@orbeershe (( Plasma consists of a collection of free-moving electrons and ions - atoms that have lost electrons. Energy is needed to strip electrons from atoms to make plasma. The energy can be of various origins: thermal, electrical, or light (ultraviolet light or intense visible light from a laser). With insufficient sustaining power, plasmas recombine into neutral gas. )) Science and tech for 21st century

[Ltdeacon]

two questions here. 1 (maybe a dumb question) will fusion bombs be less radioactive, or their effects linger less. 2 what about plasma weapons, will we see bolts of energy flying through the air?

[SpreadingtheMuse]

@Ltdeacon

Plasma is matter heated up to outrageous temperatures, so it would radiate heat and light. So yes, you would be able to see it.

As for fusion bombs, it depends on the type. A hydrogen bomb is technically "fusion" as it uses the heat of the plutonium bomb to activate the secondary explosion of fusing hydrogen. Since the plutonium was still there, yes, you have radiation. If you could find a way to fuse hydrogen without a nuclear catalyst, then it would not be radioactive.

[GreatExterminator]

@SpreadingtheMuse

From what I've read, a pure fusion device would still generate neutron radiation.

That can still be bad juju. (did I spell that right?)

[bringerofshadow1]

@Ltdeacon true fusion bombs linger less but are more radioactive

[Virgil0211]

First!

I said it before, and I'll say it again; artificially engineered pathogen always seemed to be a more plausible means of making zombies than radiation. The whole radiation thing felt too much like just adding energy to a corpse, or akin to trying to bring someone back to life using electricity.

[Virgil0211]

@ProtectAndServeWSPD Would you mind providing evidence for your assertions? I've been following his channel and his comments in other videos for quite a while now, and he seems to be a rather level-headed fellow, primarily resorting to insults and such when he's trying to educate ignorant morons, such as the moon hoax idiots.