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‘Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds’: who was atom bomb pioneer Robert Oppenheimer?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/darius-von-guttner-sporzynski-112147">Darius von Guttner Sporzynski</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-catholic-university-747">Australian Catholic University</a> Robert Oppenheimer is often placed next to Albert Einstein as the 20th century’s most famous physicist. He will forever be the “father of the atomic bomb” after the first nuclear weapon was successfully tested on July 16, 1945 in the New Mexican desert. The event brought to his mind words from a <a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/manhattan-project-robert-oppenheimer">Hindu scripture</a>: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”. <h2>Who was Robert Oppenheimer?</h2> Born in 1904 in an affluent New York family, Oppenheimer graduated from Harvard majoring in chemistry in 1925. Two years later, he completed his PhD in physics at one of the world’s leading institutions for theoretical physics, the University of Göttingen, Germany. He was 23 and enthusiastic to the point of alienating others. Throughout his life, Oppenheimer would be judged either as an <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Inside_the_Centre/L9wRLVcUI-sC?hl=en&gbpv=1">aloof prodigy or an anxious narcissist</a>. Whatever his contradictions as an individual, his eccentricities did not limit his scientific achievements. Before the outbreak of the second world war, Oppenheimer worked at the University of California, Berkeley, and the <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/J_Robert_Oppenheimer_and_the_American_Ce/U12mDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Robert+Oppenheimer:+A+Life+from+Beginning+to+End&printsec=frontcover">California Institute of Technology</a>. His research concentrated on theoretical astronomy, nuclear physics and quantum field theory. Although he confessed to being uninterested in politics, Oppenheimer openly supported socially progressive ideas. He was concerned with the emergence of antisemitism and fascism. His partner, Kitty Puening, was a left-leaning radical and their social circle included Communist Party members and activists. Later, these associations will mark him as a communist sympathiser. As a researcher, Oppenheimer published and supervised a new generation of doctoral students. One of these was Willis Lamb, who in 1955 was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics. The Nobel Prize eluded Oppenheimer three times. <h2>The second world war</h2> Two years after Germany and Soviet Russia attacked Poland, the United States entered WWII. Oppenheimer was recruited to work on the infamous <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/the-manhattan-project">Manhattan Project</a>. His ideas about chain reaction in an atomic bomb gained recognition among the US defence community. He started his work by assembling a team of experts. Some of them were his students. In 1943, despite his left-wing political views, lack of high-profile career and no experience in managing complex projects, Oppenheimer was appointed director of the <a href="https://about.lanl.gov/oppenheimer/">Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico</a>. He was enthusiastic. He seemed to have “<a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Inside_the_Centre/L9wRLVcUI-sC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Rabi+%22reserves+of+uncommitted+strength%22&pg=PA670&printsec=frontcover">reserves of uncommitted strength</a>” recalled physicist <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1944/rabi/biographical/">Isidor Isaac Rabi</a>. His task was to develop atomic weapons. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Los-Alamos-National-Laboratory">Los Alamos Laboratory</a> expanded rapidly as the project grew in complexity, with the personnel exceeding 6,000. His ability to master the large-scale workforce and channel their energy towards the needs of the project earned him respect. He proved to be more than just an administrator by being involved in the interdisciplinary team across theoretical and experimental stages of the weapons development. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-JWxIVVeV98?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>The nuclear test</h2> On July 16, 1945 the nuclear test, <a href="https://armscontrolcenter.org/quotes-from-trinity-test-observers/">code named Trinity</a>, took place. The first atomic bomb was successfully detonated at 5:29 am in the Jornada del Muerto desert. As his chief assistant, Thomas Farrell, recounted: "There came this tremendous burst of light followed shortly thereafter by the deep growling roar of the explosion." Oppenheimer later <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/J_Robert_Oppenheimer/EoA8DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22A+few+people+laughed,+a+few+people+cried,+most+people+were+silent%22&pg=PA44&printsec=frontcover">recalled</a> that “a few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent”. What he knew for sure was that the world would not be the same. It was too late for the atomic bombs to be used against Germany in the war – the Nazis had capitulated on May 8. Instead, US President Harry Truman decided to use the bomb against Germany’s ally, Japan. Shortly after the atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, Oppenheimer confronted the US secretary of war, Henry Stimson, demanding that nuclear weapons were banned. Similarly, when speaking with Truman, Oppenheimer talked about his feeling of <a href="https://washingtonmonthly.com/2020/07/11/when-truman-titled-a-hollywood-epic-and-then-sabotaged-it/">having blood on his hands</a>. Truman rejected Oppenheimer’s emotional outburst. The responsibility for the use of the atomic bombs, after all, rested with the commander in chief (himself). Truman’s rebuttal did not prevent Oppenheimer from advocating for the establishment of controls on the nuclear arms race. <h2>Arms control</h2> In the postwar years, Oppenheimer settled in Princeton, New Jersey, at the Institute for Advanced Study. He read widely. He collected art and furniture. He learned languages. His well-paid position enabled his pursuit of a deeper understanding of humanity though the examination of ancient scriptures. <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/American_Prometheus/F79LEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Robert+Oppenheimer:+A+Life+from+Beginning+to+End&printsec=frontcover">He argued</a> for the unity of purpose between the sciences and humanities. Oppenheimer’s patronage supported and encouraged other scientists in their research. But his chief concern was the unavoidable arms race. He advocated for the establishment of an <a href="https://www.iaea.org/about/overview/history">international body that would control the development of nuclear energy</a> and its usage. In 1947, a civilian agency called the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Atomic_Energy_Commission">Atomic Energy Commission</a> began its work. Oppenheimer urged strongly for <a href="https://www.iaea.org/about/overview/history">international arms control</a>. The Soviet Union’s first atomic bomb test in August 1949 took the US by surprise and pushed American researchers to develop a hydrogen bomb. The US government hardened its position. In 1952, Truman refused to reappoint Oppenheimer as the adviser to the Atomic Energy Commission. After 1952, Oppenheimer’s advocacy against the first test of the hydrogen bomb resulted in the suspension of his security clearance. The investigation that followed in 1954 exposed Oppenheimer’s past communist ties and culminated in <a href="https://www.history.com/news/father-of-the-atomic-bomb-was-blacklisted-for-opposing-h-bomb">his security clearance being revoked</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uYPbbksJxIg?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>McCarthyism and academic freedom</h2> In the era of Joseph McCarthy’s witch-hunts, his fellow scientists considered Oppenheimer as a martyr of the cause of academic freedom. “In England”, commented Wernher von Braun, a former Nazi turned American pioneer of rocket technology, “<a href="https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/ahf/history/oppenheimer-security-hearing/">Oppenheimer would have been knighted</a>”. After 1954, Oppenheimer did not cease to advocate for freedom in the pursuit of knowledge. He toured internationally with talks about the role of academic freedom unrestrained by political considerations. He argued that the sciences and the humanities are <a href="https://archive.org/details/scienceandthecom007308mbp/page/n7/mode/2up">not separate human endeavours but interlocked and inseparable</a>. Oppenheimer died at the age of 62 on February 18, 1967.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209398/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/darius-von-guttner-sporzynski-112147">Darius von Guttner Sporzynski</a>, Historian, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-catholic-university-747">Australian Catholic University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/now-i-am-become-death-the-destroyer-of-worlds-who-was-atom-bomb-pioneer-robert-oppenheimer-209398">original article</a>.

Movies

5 hidden sugar bombs you should be aware of

It seems like a pretty easy rule to follow – when you’re doing your weekly shop, if an item is packaged, it's likely laden with sugar. We all know that the sweet stuff is absolutely everywhere and that food companies use clever little tricks to disguise this from us when it comes to food labels. So, if you're not careful, sneaky foods packed with sugar will make their way into your home. Here we bring you some tips on how to arm yourself with the knowledge to avoid an accidental sugar binge. Fruit yoghurt It seems innocent enough, but fruit yogurt can be one of the biggest sugar bombs at the supermarket. Have you ever noticed how this popular morning snack feels like it would be more appropriately placed as a dessert option, well that’s because they are loaded with sugar. Opt for natural yoghurt and add cinnamon or berries to naturally sweeten. Pasta sauce Never mind the shortcomings of refined white pasta, it's the sauce that should be of concern. Pasta sauce alone can carry up to 12 grams of sugar for every half cup. Agave Despite it being sold in health food stores and renowned as a healthy alternative to sugar, it doesn’t change the fact that agave is pretty much just sugar dressed up in a healthier looking outfit. As it's 85 per cent fructose, it may be worse for you than cane sugar, which is all sucrose. What does this mean? Well, fructose is metabolised almost exclusively by your liver, which is hard work, and we’re still learning about the way different forms of sugar affect our health. Dried fruit Given it’s fruit it’s not surprising that most people count dried fruits amongst healthy food options, however, in some cases it might as well be like eating lollies. Just one-third of a cup can have 24 grams of sugar. Granola bars A convenient snack that is easy to carry in your bag to enjoy on the run? Yes. But the health factor of these bars depends on the ingredients. Most varieties aren't only made of wholegrain oats. In fact, one bar can pack as much as 12 grams (or much more) of sugar, so be sure to read the label before adding these to your shopping trolly. Image credits: Getty Images

Food & Wine

Main bomb maker of 2002 Bali bombings released early

Umar Patek, a convicted terrorist and the main bomb maker in the 2002 Bali bombings, has been released from jail. Patek, a leading member of the al Qaida-linked network Jemaah Islamiyah, helped build the car bomb that killed more than 200 people, including two Kiwis and 88 Australians, at two nightclubs in Kuta Beach in 2002. Patek served just over half of his original 20-year sentence and was released from jail after Indonesian authorities claimed that he was successfully reformed. "The special requirements that have been met by Umar Patek are that he has participated in the de-radicalisation coaching program," Ministry of Law and Human Rights spokesperson Rika Aprianti said. Patek will be required to report to the parole office once a week, before it becomes once a month. He is required to stay on parole until 2030, but his freedom can be revoked if he fails to report to the parole office or breaks the law. During his jail stint, Patek received a total of 33 months of sentence reduction with the most recent one on August 17, Indonesia's Independence Day. This saw Patek given a five-month reduction of his sentence after fulfilling the parole requirement of serving two-thirds of his current sentence At the time of the reduced sentence, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government will look at making "diplomatic representations" to oppose Patek’s release. "I feel a great deal of common distress, along with all Australians, at this time," Albanese said. "We had been advised by the Indonesian government of this further reduction. "This will cause further distress to Australians who were the families of victims of the Bali bombings." Image: Nine News

Legal

TV host says Russia should have bombed UK during Queen’s funeral

A Russian state TV presenter has declared that Moscow should have bombed the UK during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. Host of Russia-1 Olga Skabeyeva was speaking about the Queen’s funeral to fellow panellist Andrey Gurulyov, a retired military commander and deputy in the Russian federal assembly. Mr Gurulyov was saying Russia should “nuke” the UK because all world leaders are there for the late monarch’s funeral. “We should have done it today, all the best people are there for the funeral,” Ms Skabeyeva responds in agreement. "Why would we bomb Ukraine or Germany, when there is Britain, the root of evil?” Mr Gurulyov then asks. "When Britain is turned into a Martian desert, will they defend a Martian desert as per their fifth article? There will be nothing left." His comment is in regards to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) which says an attack on a NATO ally is an attack on all other members. “I assure you, everyone will back down, they will not use the strategic nuclear forces,” he continued. Russia and Ukraine have been battling it out since February 24, 2022, after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation”. Images: Twitter

Travel Trouble

News of Bali bomb-maker's sentence cut short sparks fury

The bomb-maker behind the devastating 2002 Bali bombings has been released early from Indonesian prison only days after his sentence was reduced by a further five months. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared this decision will add trauma to the victims’ families and says his diplomats are lobbying the Indonesian government regarding the reduction. This decision means that Umar Patek, the man who made the explosives that killed 200 people, including 2 kiwis and 88 Aussies in 2002, will have served only half of his original 20-year sentence. Indonesian authorities insist he has been ‘deradicalised’ but Mr Abanese has described him as ‘abhorrent’. The sentence had already been reduced by 18 months on a previous occasion, meaning his total reduction is now one year and 11 months. He would have been eligible for parole in January 2023 after serving two thirds of his sentence. Patek admitted making the suicide vests that went off at Sari Club and Paddy's Pub in Kuta but claimed he did not know what they would be used for. After nine years on the run in the Philippines and Pakistan, he was caught in 2011 and spared the death sentence after co-operating with police and apologising to victims' families. This coming October marks the 20th anniversary of the bombings. Images: Australian National Museum / Getty

Legal

The 6 best bath bomb recipes for every mood

Customise your bath bomb Few natural remedies are as effective for hitting your internal reset button as a hot bath. By customising the bath bomb recipe below with a variety of essential oils, you can soothe everything from frayed nerves to achy muscles, says intergrative health expert Dr Tasneem Bhatia. Keep reading to see how. Basic bath bomb recipe Here’s what you’ll need: 2 cups baking soda 1 cup citric acid 1/2 cup Epsom salt 1 tablespoon almond or olive oil Essential oils Water Packing moulds (If you don’t have food moulds, ice cube trays, hollow plastic Easter eggs, or Christmas tree ornaments that snap open and closed will do.) Directions: Mix baking soda, citric acid and Epsom salt in a bowl. Add almond or olive oil and essential oils. Add water slowly (the mixture might create a small foaming reaction. If that happens, pour even more slowly). The mixture should be just moist enough to hold a shape. Pack mixture into moulds for a few minutes, then tap to release. Allow bath bombs to dry for about five hours. To use, simply drop one in the bath. Enjoy! Note: Bath bombs should be used within three weeks. A bath bomb for when you’re feeling stressed To soothe the senses when you’re stressed out, try a bath bomb infused with 10 drops of bergamot (use one labelled bergaptene-free) and 10 drops of clary sage. The citrusy-flower bergamot mixed with clary sage calms the nervous system and clears the mind. “Bergamot is an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic and its aromatic scent has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety,” says Dr Bhatia, echoing the findings of a review of studies published in 2019 in Food Science & Nutrition. “Clary sage also reduces stress and acts as an antidepressant.” A bath bomb for when you can’t fall asleep Settle into a more restful state by creating a bath bomb that includes 10 drops of chamomile, 10 drops lavender and 10 drops mandarin. “Both lavender and chamomile are calm- and relaxation-promoting herbs, while mandarin is known to be calming and promote joy,” says Dr Bhatia. A bath bomb for when your muscles ache Soothe sore muscles with a bath bomb infused with 10 drops lavender and 10 drops rosemary, which reduces inflammation. “Lavender is calming, while rosemary is known to increase blood flow, helping muscle soreness,” says Dr Bhatia. For even more of a treat, add extra Epsom salt to your bath before you hop in. The magnesium sulfate works as a natural muscle relaxant, pulling fluid out of the muscles and reducing swelling. A bath bomb for when you need a pick-me-up Need a bath bomb to help you overcome that 3pm gotta-have-a-nap feeling on days you work from home? Add 10 drops grapefruit oil and 10 drops bergamot oil. Keep in mind: “Citrus oils can sting a bit so you have to be careful with them,” says Dr Bhatia. If the grapefruit-bergamot combo doesn’t do the trick, soak a cotton swab with peppermint essential oil and take a whiff whenever you need an extra zap of energy. A bath bomb for setting a romantic mood Floral scents like rose oil and ylang-ylang are great for setting the mood for romance, if only because “they’re soothing scents that promote calm and relaxation,” says Dr Bhatia. Try a bath bomb made with 10 drops of each. Add a pinch of vanilla for an added kick. A bath bomb for indulging the senses For an all-purpose bath bomb that will indulge the senses no matter the mood or the moment, try this fresh-floral mix: 10 drops rose or lavender oil, 10 drops of lemon and 5 drops of patchouli. “This is a combo of stress relief and a bit of a pick-me-up,” says Dr Bhatia. “Like many citrus oils, lemon is stimulating while patchouli and lavender are relaxing and provide skin relief.” Written by Juliana LaBianca. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/the-6-best-bath-bomb-recipes-for-every-mood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

Bono and The Edge perform in Kyiv bomb shelter

U2 musicians Bono and The Edge has performed a secret show in a bomb shelter in Kyiv, after being personally invited by Ukrainian president Zelenskyy. The members of the Irish rock band shared photos of their performance on Twitter, as they were joined by Ukrainian band Antytila's lead singer Tomos Topelia. From a station platform, the duo performed U2 hits such as Sunday Bloody Sunday, Desire and With or Without You. “The people in Ukraine are not just fighting for your own freedom, you are fighting for all of us who love freedom,” said Bono during a break between songs. “We pray that you will enjoy some of that peace soon.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> President <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZelenskyyUa</a> invited us to perform in Kyiv as a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people and so that’s what we’ve come to do. -- Bono and The Edge <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StandWithUkraine?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StandWithUkraine</a> — U2 (@U2) <a href="https://twitter.com/U2/status/1523264383065141250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2022</a></blockquote> The performance had an emotional impact on Ukrainians, with members of the small underground crowd taking to Twitter to express their gratitude. One person said, “Thank you Bono and Edge for the music and for making the world a better place through art, Ukraine will win this war with the world's support.” Bono and The Edge were later seen in the Ukrainian towns of Irpin and Bucha, which are the sites of alleged Russian war crimes in the first weeks of the invasion. The pair were shown greeting locals amongst the ruins of buildings, and outside St. Andrew Pervozvannoho All Saints church - where a mass grave was found in April. Image credits: Twitter

Music

“No longer unthinkable”: UK official weighs in on nuclear threat

A senior officer in the British Air Force has warned that nuclear war could be “only a few steps away” from becoming a reality, as reported by <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/17953272/nuclear-war-few-steps-away-ukraine-warns-raf-chief/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun</a>. British Air Marshal Edward Stringer appeared on the British talkback radio station <a href="https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/nick-ferrari/nuclear-war-possible-few-steps-away-raf-chief/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LBC</a> on Tuesday morning local time and spoke about how the possibility of a nuclear war would be a “weight on the minds” of world leaders. “It’s no longer unthinkable and it clearly be weighing on the minds of those who are making all the political calculations at the moment, hence the very straight and consistent line from Biden and all the other senior heads of state recently,” he said. “It is in the realm of possibility, and that is what people have to get their heads around.” Air Marshal Stringer added that it was possible to “sketch a plausible chain of events” that could see the use of nuclear weapons, and that it was “a pretty terrifying prospect for anybody sensible”. He explained that it was also the reason why world leaders have been hesitant to establish no-fly zones over Ukraine. “NATO is not constructed to go onto the offensive, if it did it would be taking on another nuclear power - Russia,” he said. As for whether nuclear war is likely, US intelligence says Russia has a theory called “escalate to de-escalate” to use if in conflict with NATO where a dramatic action of threat is used to frighten opponents and cause them to back down, according to the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-60664169" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a>. James Acton, a nuclear expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the outlet it may be a tactic to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin gets his way. “I am legitimately worried that in that circumstance Putin might use a nuclear weapon, most likely on the ground in Ukraine to terrify everyone and get his way,” he said. “We are not at that point yet.” Image: Getty Images

News

Queen's "World War III" speech strikes a haunting note

Though it’s almost 40 years old, Queen Elizabeth II’s pre-prepared speech in the event of World War III is feeling quite pertinent lately. The sombre message, first penned in 1983 at the height of the Cold War and publicly released in 2013, is a script for a hypothetical broadcast the monarch would read if British citizens faced a threat of nuclear war or World War III. Devised by Whitehall officials, the speech was created as part of a war-gaming exercise that worked through potential scenarios and was written as if broadcast on Friday, March 4 at midday - almost 39 years ago to the day. “The horrors of war could not have seemed more remote as my family and I shared our Christmas joy with the growing family of the Commonwealth,” the script begins, as shared by the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-23518587" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a>. “Now, this madness of war is once more spreading through the world and our brave country must again prepare itself to survive against great odds.” The Queen also recalls the moment World War II broke out and her own experience of sadness and pride upon hearing her father make the announcement. “I have never forgotten the sorrow and the pride I felt as my sister and I huddled around the nursery wireless set listening to my father’s [George VI’s] inspiring words on that fateful day in 1939,” it reads. “Not for a single moment did I imagine that this solemn and awful duty would one day fall to me. “But whatever terrors lie in wait for us all, the qualities that have helped to keep our freedom intact twice already during this sad century will once more be our strength.” Unsurprisingly, the address <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/queen-elizabeth-secret-speech-in-case-of-world-war-iii/eb18bc06-e53c-4fa8-baab-549476b59370" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contains</a> some outdated aspects, including a mention of her “beloved” son Andrew - who was in the Royal Navy at the time - and references to her now-late husband Prince Philip. She also spoke of the power of the bond families share and how it “must be our greatest defence against the unknown”. “If families remain united and resolute, giving shelter to those living alone and unprotected, our country’s will to survive cannot be broken.” The war-gaming exercise it was devised for has become increasingly relevant as well, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues amid the threat of nuclear strikes from Moscow and ongoing peace talks between the two countries. In it, Orange bloc forces representing the Soviet Union and its allies launched a chemical weapon attack on the UK. NATO, represented by Blue forces, retaliates with a “limited-yield” nuclear strike that forces Orange to initiate a peace process. Image: Getty Images

Travel Trouble

West responds to Putin placing nuclear arsenal on high alert

As tensions and fighting continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine, the US and NATO have slammed Putin's decision to put Russia's nuclear forces on high alert. Speaking at a meeting with his top officials, Putin directed the Russian defence minister and the chief of the military's General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a "special regime of combat duty." The Russian president also discussed the hard-hitting sanctions that have been placed on Russia, and Putin himself. "Western countries aren't only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country," Putin said in televised comment. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the dangerous move was part of a wider pattern of unprovoked escalation and "manufactured threats" from the Kremlin. "This is really a pattern that we've seen from President Putin through the course of this conflict, which is manufacturing threats that don't exist in order to justify further aggression — and the global community and the American people should look at it through that prism," Psaki told ABC's George Stephanopoulos on 'This Week'. She added, "This is all a pattern from President Putin and we're going to stand up for it, we have the ability to defend ourselves, but we also need to call out what we're seeing here from President Putin." In reaction to the nuclear alert, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told CNN, "This is dangerous rhetoric. This is a behaviour which is irresponsible." Given that Russia, as well as the US, typically have both land and submarine-based nuclear forces on alert for combat at all times, the practicality of Putin's order is not yet clear. As the conflict only continues to grow with Moscow troops drawing closer to Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that a delegation would meet in an undisclosed location on the Belarusian border to discuss peace talks. Image credits: Getty Images

News

What is radioactivity?

<div class="copy"> We owe the discovery of radioactivity to bad weather. French physicist <a rel="noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Becquerel" target="_blank">Henri Becquerel</a> was trying to study fluorescence, a phenomenon where certain materials glow when exposed to sunlight, but overcast days thwarted his experiments and so he wrapped his fluorescing uranium salts in cloth and left them in a drawer, along with a photographic plate and a copper cross. This simple serendipitous accident, in 1896, revealed the existence of radioactivity, a phenomenon that opened a window into the subatomic world and kickstarted the nuclear revolution. <h2>Understanding radioactivity</h2> When he finally fetched the salts, Becquerel found that an image of the cross had appeared on the photographic plate – even though the salts had not been exposed to light. “I am now convinced that uranium salts produce invisible radiation, even when they have been kept in the dark,” he wrote after conducting further experiments. Becquerel’s doctoral student, <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/this-week-in-science-history-marie-curie-dies/">Marie Curie</a>, investigated the matter with her husband Pierre and they realised the effect had nothing to do with fluorescence, instead discovering that certain materials naturally emit a constant flow of energy. They coined the term ‘radioactivity’ and also found two new radioactive elements: polonium and radium. For this profound and exciting work, Becquerel and the Curies received the Nobel Prize for <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/">Physics</a> in 1903. Physicists Ernest Rutherford and Frederick Soddy delved deeper and found that tiny amounts of matter contain huge reserves of energy. They also realised that in the process of radioactive decay, one element can turn into another – an atom of uranium can transform (via a few intermediate steps) into an atom of lead. Around the world people assumed that these miraculously energetic materials could be put to good use. Until the 1920s, many manufacturers of laxatives and toothpaste proudly laced their products with radioactive thorium, and radioactive substances were only banned in consumer products in the US in 1938. <h2>How does radioactivity work?</h2> Today we have a much more comprehensive understanding of what radioactivity is, how it can be dangerous, and how we can use it. Here’s a basic rundown: imagine an atom, composed of a cloud of electrons around a central nucleus where particles called neutrons and protons are crammed in together. Some arrangements of protons and neutrons are more stable than others; if there are too many neutrons compared to protons, the nucleus becomes unstable and falls apart. This decay releases nuclear radiation in the form of alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma radiation. An alpha particle carries off two protons and two neutrons, and since an element is defined by its number of protons, the parent atom becomes a whole new element when an alpha particle is emitted. In beta decay, a neutron transforms into one proton and one electron, and the electron speeds off, leaving an extra proton behind and once again resulting in an atom of a different element. Alongside either of the above particles, decaying nuclei can also produce gamma rays: high energy electromagnetic radiation. <h2>What are the health effects?</h2> As Becquerel and the Curies discovered, radioactivity is a naturally-occurring phenomenon. Many minerals in the Earth emit a slow and steady trickle of radiation, the air we breathe contains radioactive gases, and even foods and our bodies contain a small percentage of radioactive atoms like potassium-40 and carbon-14. The Earth also receives radiation from the Sun and as high-energy cosmic rays. These sources create a natural but unavoidable level of background radiation. Many artificial sources add to this, including medical procedures such as X-rays, smoke detectors, building materials and combustible fuels. We generally aren’t harmed by low-level background sources of radiation, as the extent of harm depends on the length and level of exposure. Radiation can damage the body’s internal chemistry, breaking up chemical bonds in our tissue, killing cells, and damaging DNA, which may lead to cancer. In very high doses, radiation can cause sickness and death within hours. <h2>Harnessing nuclear power</h2> The effects of radioactivity have been felt on an even grander scale with the meltdown of nuclear power plants throughout history. The radioactive process of fission has been harnessed for several decades to produce electricity: the nucleus of an atom is split, creating at least two “daughter” nuclei and releasing energy as heat. The heat is used to boil water and create steam, turning a turbine and generating electricity. Unfortunately this isn’t a clean process – it produces radioactive waste that is difficult to safely dispose of, and in extreme cases reactions can spiral out of control, such as the disaster triggered by an earthquake at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station in 2011. Another radioactive process could provide a safe way to generate clean energy: fusion. In contrast to fission, fusion involves joining two atomic nuclei together. This process also releases energy – it’s the exact process occurring in the Sun and other stars – but fusion requires extremely high temperatures and pressures, which are expensive and difficult to recreate on Earth. <h2>A long road ahead</h2> Becquerel died 12 years after his initial discovery at age 54, with burns and scars likely from handling radioactive materials, and Marie Curie died several decades later from leukemia. Radiation was probably slowly killing Pierre Curie too, although it’s difficult to know as he was fatally run down by a carriage in 1906. Today our greater understanding of radioactivity allows us to use it much more safely. Accidents with radioactive materials have decreased in frequency and produce fewer fatalities due to stringent safety measures and thorough emergency responses. In the most recent nuclear disaster at Fukushima, no deaths resulted from radiation exposure – but there’s still a long way to go before we can safely harness the immense raw power of radioactivity. Image credits: Shutterstock  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=76198&title=What+is+radioactivity%3F" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/what-is-radioactivity/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Lauren Fuge. </div>

Technology

Bomb squad called to Princess Mary's palace

A woman has been arrested after allegedly sending a suspicious package to the royal palace where Crown Princess Mary and her family live. The police were forced to bring in the bomb squad, with parts of Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen were sealed off when a package was sent to the Yellow Palace, next to the royal family's main complex. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPvUiPLtik-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPvUiPLtik-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Cindy Turner, CTA (@cindyttravels)</a> </div> </blockquote> Two remote-controlled robots were used to determine the contents of the parcel, with the Armed Forces' Ammunition Clearance Service called in to investigate the package. At 3 pm local time that day, police confirmed that a 57-year-old woman had been arrested in connection with the scare. She was taken into custody in Ribe and charged with making threats against the royal family. The Danish palace has not made any public comments about the incident.

News

315 nuclear bombs and ongoing suffering: The shameful history of nuclear testing in Australia and the Pacific

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware this article contains the name of a deceased person. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons received its <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/10/1076082">50th ratification on October 24</a>, and will therefore come into force in January 2021. A historic development, this new international law will ban the possession, development, testing, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons. Unfortunately the nuclear powers — the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Russia, China, Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea — haven’t signed on to the treaty. As such, they are not immediately obliged to <a href="http://hrp.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Victim-assistance-short-4-8-18-final.pdf">help victims and remediate contaminated environments</a>, but others party to the treaty do have these obligations. The shifting norms around this will hopefully put ongoing pressure on nuclear testing countries to open records and to cooperate with accountability measures. For the people of the Pacific region, particularly those who bore the brunt of nuclear weapons testing during the 20th century, it will bring a new opportunity for their voices to be heard on the long-term costs of nuclear violence. The treaty is the first to enshrine enduring commitments to addressing their needs. From 1946, around <a href="https://icanw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Pacific-Report-2017.pdf">315 nuclear tests</a> were carried out in the Pacific by the US, Britain and France. These nations’ largest ever nuclear tests took place on colonised lands and oceans, from Australia to the Marshall Islands, Kiribati to French Polynesia. The impacts of these tests are still being felt today. All nuclear tests cause harm Studies of nuclear test workers and exposed nearby communities <a href="https://www.ctbto.org/nuclear-testing/">around the world</a> <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-review-of-the-red-cross/article/humanitarian-impact-and-implications-of-nuclear-test-explosions-in-the-pacific-region/1FDB0D26842BEA5621F33A0B53FCD7F9">consistently show</a> adverse health effects, especially increased risks of <a href="https://www.ctbto.org/nuclear-testing/">cancer</a>. The total number of global cancer deaths as a result of atmospheric nuclear test explosions has been estimated at between <a href="https://scope.dge.carnegiescience.edu/SCOPE_59/SCOPE_59.html">2 million</a> and <a href="https://ieer.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/1991/06/RadioactiveHeavenEarth1991.pdf">2.4 million</a>, even though these studies used radiation risk estimates that are now dated and likely underestimated the <a href="http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/n3873/pdf/ch08.pdf">risk</a>. The number of additional non-fatal cancer cases caused by test explosions is similar. As confirmed in a <a href="http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1667/RR14608.1">large recent study</a> of nuclear industry workers in France, the UK and US, the numbers of radiation-related deaths due to other diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, is also likely to be similar. ‘We all got crook’ Britain conducted 12 nuclear test explosions in Australia between 1952 and 1957, and hundreds of minor trials of radioactive and toxic materials for bomb development up to 1963. These caused untold health problems for local Aboriginal people who were at the highest risk of radiation. Many of them were not properly evacuated, and some were not informed at all. We may never know the full impact of these explosions because in many cases, as the Royal Commission report on British Nuclear Tests in Australia <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id:%22publications/tabledpapers/HPP032016010928%22;src1=sm1">found in 1985</a>: “the resources allocated for Aboriginal welfare and safety were ludicrous, amounting to nothing more than a token gesture”. But we can listen to the survivors. The late Yami Lester directly experienced the impacts of nuclear weapons. A Yankunytjatjara elder from South Australia, Yami was a child when the British tested at Emu Field in October 1953. He <a href="https://icanw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/BlackMist-FINAL-Web.pdf">recalled</a> the “Black Mist” after the bomb blast: It wasn’t long after that a black smoke came through. A strange black smoke, it was shiny and oily. A few hours later we all got crook, every one of us. We were all vomiting; we had diarrhoea, skin rashes and sore eyes. I had really sore eyes. They were so sore I couldn’t open them for two or three weeks. Some of the older people, they died. They were too weak to survive all the sickness. The closest clinic was 400 miles away. His daughter, Karina Lester, is an ambassador for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons in Australia, and continues to be driven by her family’s experience. She <a href="https://icanw.org.au/choosinghumanity/">writes</a>: For decades now my family have campaigned and spoken up against the harms of nuclear weapons because of their firsthand experience of the British nuclear tests […] Many Aboriginal people suffered from the British nuclear tests that took place in the 1950s and 1960s and many are still suffering from the impacts today. More than 16,000 Australian workers were also exposed. A key <a href="https://www.dva.gov.au/documents-and-publications/british-nuclear-testing-australia-studies">government-funded study</a> belatedly followed these veterans over an 18-year period from 1982. Despite the difficulties of conducting a study decades later with incomplete data, it <a href="https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.pace.edu/dist/0/195/files/2018/10/Australia-PosObs-Country-Report-7-1zbngsb.pdf">found</a> they had 23% higher rates of cancer and 18% more deaths from cancers than the general population. An additional health impact in Pacific island countries is the toxic disease “ciguatera”, caused by certain microscopic plankton at the base of the marine food chain, which thrive on damaged coral. Their toxins concentrate up the food chain, especially in fish, and cause illness and occasional deaths in people who eat them. In the Marshall Islands, Kiritimati and French Polynesia, outbreaks of the disease among locals have been associated with coral damage caused by <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(89)91212-9/fulltext">nuclear test explosions</a> and the extensive military and shipping infrastructure supporting them. Pacific survivors of nuclear testing haven’t been focused solely on addressing their own considerable needs for justice and care; they’ve been powerful advocates that no one should suffer as they have ever again, and have worked tirelessly for the eradication of nuclear weapons. It’s no surprise independent Pacific island nations are strong supporters of the new treaty, accounting for ten of the first 50 ratifications. Negligence and little accountability Some nations that have undertaken nuclear tests have provided some care and compensation for their nuclear test workers; only the US has made some <a href="https://www.justice.gov/civil/common/reca">provisions</a> for people exposed, though only for mainland US residents downwind of the Nevada Test Site. No testing nation has extended any such arrangement beyond its own shores to the colonised and minority peoples it put in harm’s way. Nor has any testing nation made fully publicly available its records of the history, conduct and effects of its nuclear tests on exposed populations and the environment. These nations have also been negligent by quickly abandoning former test sites. There has been inadequate clean-up and little or none of the long-term environmental monitoring needed to detect radioactive leakage from underground test sites into groundwater, soil and air. One example among many is the Runit concrete dome in the Marshall Islands, which holds nuclear waste from US testing in the 1940s and 50s. It’s increasingly <a href="https://www.latimes.com/projects/marshall-islands-nuclear-testing-sea-level-rise/">inundated by rising sea levels</a>, and is leaking radioactive material. The treaty provides a light in a dark time. It contains the only internationally agreed framework for all nations to verifiably eliminate nuclear weapons. It’s our fervent hope the treaty will mark the increasingly urgent beginning of the end of nuclear weapons. It is our determined expectation that our country will step up. Australia has not yet ratified the treaty, but the bitter legacy of nuclear testing across our country and region should spur us to join this new global effort. Written <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tilman-ruff-89">Tilman Ruff</a>, University of Melbourne and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dimity-hawkins-292972">Dimity Hawkins</a>, Swinburne University of Technology. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/315-nuclear-bombs-and-ongoing-suffering-the-shameful-history-of-nuclear-testing-in-australia-and-the-pacific-148909">The Conversation.</a>

Cruising

Massive spelling slip-up! Trinny Woodall drops C-bomb on The Sunday Project

Triny Woodall left Australia's The Sunday Project panel in shock after dropping the C-bomb on-air. The style queen appeared on the Channel 10 show alongside hosts Lisa Wilkinson, Tommy Little, Susie Youssef and Peter Van Onselen. It was during the live episode when Woodall made a grave mistake and accidentally spelt out the “c-bomb” on air. Speaking of her former What Not to Wear co-host Susannah Constantine, the English celebrity said the pair were still great friends who always “call each other rude names — like c-u-*-* …”. The hosts sat speechless and Woodall also appeared to be mortified, going on to explain that she meant to leave out a few letters. The video was not made immediately available on 10Play as it usually is, and still remained unavailable on early Monday morning. Video of Woodall’s segment was posted to The Project’s Facebook page — with the offensive moment being cut out. <div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=448807716019558" data-width="500" data-show-text="true"> <blockquote class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"> The fabulous Trinny reveals the hilarious reason she can't tell if Aussies are friendly or tipsy, the makeup message she wants people to hear, and the current state of her friendship with Susannah. Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheProjectTV/">The Project</a> on <a href="https://developers.facebook.com/TheProjectTV/videos/448807716019558/">Sunday, October 20, 2019</a></blockquote> </div> It’s not the first time Woodall has sparked controversy, after she told Stellar magazine she “didn’t know” her partner had been photographed holding his ex Nigella Lawson by the throat when they met. The 55-year-old makeup and fashion maven has been linked to billionaire art dealer Charles Saatchi — the ex-husband of worldwide famous chef Nigella Lawson — for almost six years. Woodall claims she didn’t know about the incident even though the photograph made headlines around the world. “Really weirdly, I still didn’t know any of that sh*t,” she told Stellar. She said she had only asked a mutual friend one question about Saatchi: whether he was “kind”. “I would ask that of anyone,” Woodall said. “I realised in my 50s I wanted a kind heart.”

"Beyond anything you can imagine": The brutal truth of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster

The launch of HBO miniseries Chernobyl has once again brought attention to the world’s worst nuclear disaster. Discussions have emerged as to whether the five-part show provided a realistic depiction of the catastrophe. While some details in the story have been contested, most experts and survivors agree that the portrayal of the radiation effects is true to life. Oleksiy Breus was an engineer at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the then-Soviet Union. Following the 1986 explosion at the fourth reactor, he took part in a dangerous operation to drain water from under the power station to prevent further explosion. The 59-year-old told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48580177" target="_blank">BBC</a> that the physical impacts of acute radiation syndrome (ARS) were shown well in the series through the character of firefighter Vasily Ignatenko. Breus said he met with shift leader Oleksandr Akimov and operator Leonid Toptunov – both of whom were featured prominently on the show – hours after the incident. “They were not looking good, to put it mildly,” he said. “It was clear they felt sick. They were very pale. Toptunov had literally turned white.” Akimov and Toptunov died two weeks later from ARS. Breus said his other colleagues who worked at the ill-fated night died in hospital after their skin turned to “a bright red colour”. He said, “Radiation exposure, red skin, radiation burns and steam burns were what many people talked about but it was never shown like this. When I finished my shift, my skin was brown, as if I had a proper suntan all over my body. My body parts not covered by clothes – such as hands, face and neck – were red.” This was in line with the testimony from Lyudmilla Ignatenko, wife of the fallen firefighter. In the book <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2005/apr/25/energy.ukraine" target="_blank">Voices from Chernobyl</a> by Russian journalist Svetlana Alexievich, Lyudmilla said she witnessed her husband’s condition exacerbate as he began experiencing serious diarrhea, hair loss and skin cracking and discolouring. She recalled, “I tell the nurse: ‘He’s dying’. And she says to me: ‘What did you expect? He got 1,600 roentgen. Four hundred is a lethal dose. You're sitting next to a nuclear reactor’.” Archaeologist and Chernobyl expert Robert Maxwell also vouched for the show’s accuracy in showing how nuclear radiation affects the human body. “The skin of the tongue sloughs off; the skin of the body turns black and peels way upon touch... eyes blister. The colon is covered in third degree burns,” Maxwell told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/chernobyl-radiation-poisoning/?utm_source=Mamamia.com.au%20-%20All%20Newsletters&utm_campaign=e78d678868-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_06_17_06_53&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9dc62997a2-e78d678868-211561537&mc_cid=e78d678868&mc_eid=c10f87c072" target="_blank">Mamamia</a>. “Their depiction of ARS and its treatment during the Soviet 1980s is highly accurate.” The show’s creator Craig Mazin said he and his team took great care to show “total respect” to Vasily and his family in the series. “We had to be really careful in episode three when we showed the final stage of Vasily Ignatenko's body,” Mazin told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/chernobyl-finale-explained-creator-craig-mazin-interview-1215670" target="_blank">The Hollywood Reporter</a>. “It was the most extreme thing that we showed, and our makeup and prosthetic designer Daniel Parker did a brilliant job — so brilliant, in fact, that there was a concern that we lingered on it a bit. “We shortened that shot by quite a bit, because the last thing we wanted was to feel like we were trading on this man's sad fate for sensationalist points on a TV show. What we wanted was for people to see the truth of what happens… “Those were the things we were dealing with all the time, because that man was a real person, and his wife is still alive, and the last thing we want to do is show anything other than total respect.” 134 people were <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18049222" target="_blank">diagnosed with ARS</a> in the aftermath of the explosion. 28 of them died within months. The number of people affected by the disaster remains disputed, with many suspecting that the radiation may be the reason behind other health problems such as cancer and birth defects.

Body

Sweet ricotta and goat's cheese bomb

Serve this dessert with a side of fresh seasonal fruits. Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: <ul> <li>75g soft goat's cheese</li> <li>250g ricotta</li> <li>1 tablespoon cream</li> <li>1 tablespoon caster sugar</li> <li>1 lime, finely grated zest</li> <li>Honey and fruit to serve</li> </ul> Method: 1. Place the cheeses, cream, sugar and lime zest in a food processor and process until smooth. 2. Line a small sieve or draining mould with muslin, spoon in the cheese mixture and secure with an elastic band. 3. Stand over a bowl in the fridge overnight to drain. 4. Unmould and serve drizzled with honey. Written by Bernadette Hogg. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a> Image credit: Manja Wachsmuth/Stuff.co.nz.

Food & Wine

Bomb emoji cake pops

Want a dessert to blow the grandkids away? These delicious and adorable cake pops deliver an explosion of flavour – as well as fun. The next time you make (or even buy) a chocolate cake, save a decent slice and use it to make these sweet morsels. Ingredients: <ul> <li>170g chocolate cake leftovers</li> <li>85g popping candy</li> <li>100g chocolate ganache</li> <li>150g dark chocolate, melted for dipping</li> <li>Edible black lustre spray</li> <li>Small amount of black fondant</li> <li>Indoor sparklers</li> <li>Cake pop sticks</li> </ul> Methods: <ol> <li>Crumble into a bowl the cake offcuts.</li> <li>Add a spoonful of ganache to the cake crumbs and, using your hands, combine until you can mould the mixture with your hands into a ball.</li> <li>Add the popping candy to the mixture and give a final mix (it may be easier to use your hands at this stage).</li> <li>Take some of the mixture and roll it into a ball with your hands. Repeat with the rest of the cake mix. Place the balls on a baking tray and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.</li> <li>Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave or a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Dip the cake pop sticks into the chocolate and insert one into each cake ball.</li> <li>Put them back into the refrigerator for a few minutes to set. Dip the balls into the melted chocolate and let any excess drip off. Place the sticks into a cake dummy to let the chocolate set.</li> <li>Spray each cake ball with edible metallic black lustre spray. Insert the sticks back into the cake dummy to let the coatings dry.</li> <li>Once dry, carefully remove the sticks from the cake balls, taking care not to dent or crack the dark chocolate coating.</li> <li>For the bomb’s fuse, roll a small piece of black fondant in a long sausage and cut into rounds. Pipe ganache into the hole left by the stick then cover with the fondant fuse.</li> <li>When ready to serve, insert an indoor sparkler into the black fondant fuse, light, and step back!</li> </ol> <img width="167" height="167" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/28845/cakemoji-cover_167x167.jpg" alt="Cakemoji Cover" style="float: right;"/>This is an edited extract from Cakemoji published by Quadrille RRP $19.99 available in stores nationally. Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</a>. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/09/raspberry-and-lime-baby-cakes/">Raspberry and lime baby cakes</a> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/03/oreo-cheesecake-pops/">Oreo cheesecake pops</a> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/02/chocolate-marshmallow-cupcakes/">Chocolate marshmallow cupcakes</a>

Food & Wine

Polluted nuclear site to become tourist destinations

America's most polluted nuclear weapons production site is now its newest national park. Thousands of people are expected next year to tour the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, home of the world's first full-sized nuclear reactor, near Richland, about 200 miles east of Seattle in south-central Washington. They won't be allowed anywhere near the nation's largest collection of toxic radioactive waste. "Everything is clean and perfectly safe," said Colleen French, the US Department of Energy's program manager for the Hanford park. "Any radioactive materials are miles away." The Manhattan Project National Historic Park, signed into existence in November, also includes sites at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Los Alamos, New Mexico. The Manhattan Project is the name for the US effort to build an atomic bomb during World War II. At Hanford, the main attractions will be B Reactor - the world's first full-sized reactor - along with the ghost towns of Hanford and White Bluffs, which were evacuated by the government to make room for the Manhattan Project. The B Reactor was built in about one year and produced plutonium for the Trinity test blast in New Mexico and for the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, that led to the surrender of the Japanese. Starting in 1943, more than 50,000 people from across the United States arrived at the top-secret Hanford site to perform work whose purpose few knew, French said. The 300 residents of Richland were evicted and that town became a bedroom community for the adjacent Hanford site, skyrocketing in population. Workers laboured around the clock to build reactors and processing plants to make plutonium, a key ingredient in nuclear weapons. The park will tell the story of those workers, plus the scientists who performed groundbreaking research and the residents who were displaced, said Chip Jenkins of the National Park Service, which is jointly developing the park with the Energy Department. "The intention of the park is to tell the full and complex and convoluted story," Jenkins said. That story is still being developed, but will certainly include a Japanese perspective, he said. "What happened at B Reactor changed the course of human history," Jenkins said. "They went from sparsely populated ranching communities to the first packet of plutonium over the course of 18 months." Eventually, nine reactors were built at Hanford and operated during the Cold War to make plutonium for the US. nuclear arsenal. That work created more than 56 million gallons of radioactive waste that the government still spends more than $1 billion a year to maintain and clean up. While details of the new national park are still being worked out, French said, the Energy Department will continue its tours of the B Reactor and the old town sites that began in 2009 and fill up with some 10,000 visitors a year. The plan is to greatly expand the number of tourists and school groups who visit the site, she said. Tours will occur from April to October, French said. Exhibits at the B Reactor include the exposed face of the reactor and the control room, where many visitors like to sit and be photographed at control panels, she said. The Hanford story is far from over. Jenkins noted that thousands of scientists and other workers remain active on the Hanford site, inventing and implementing new techniques to clean up the massive volume of nuclear waste. Written by Nicholas K. Geranios. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2015/12/largest-flower-garden-in-the-world/">14 images from the world’s largest flower garden</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/01/how-i-drove-a-motorhome-around-the-world/">When I retired I drove a motorhome around the world</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2015/12/shibuya-pedestrian-crossing-japan/">The busiest pedestrian crossing in the world</a>

International Travel

DIY Bath bombs

If you’ve ever tried a bath bomb, you know how much of an amazing addition they are to your bath…but you also know they come with a hefty price tag. With this DIY bath bomb recipe you can turn your bath time into something spectacular for a fraction of the price. Oh, and did we mention how easy they are to make? You will need: <ul> <li>¾ cup of corn starch</li> <li>1 cup of baking soda</li> <li>¼ cup of sea salt/Epsom salt</li> <li>1 cup of citric acid</li> <li>10 drops of food colouring of your choice</li> <li>Essential oil of your choice</li> <li>Spray bottle</li> <li>Moulds</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients together.</li> <li>In a spray bottle, combine food colouring of your choice with water.</li> <li>Spray your dry mix, but not too much or they’ll fizzle out and you’ll risk losing the “bomb” in your bath bombs.</li> <li>Add a few drops of your essential oil of choice to the mixture.</li> <li>Add any additional ingredients your store-bought bombs might have such as fine glitter or flower petals.</li> <li>Mix together until consistent in texture and colour.</li> <li>Press into moulds of your choice. You might consider round moulds, (scotch sphere ice cube moulds) heart moulds, or any other variety of shape. If you don’t have a mould, you can even use a muffin baking pan to get round disk shapes.</li> <li>Leave to dry overnight and remove your bath bombs from moulds in the morning. Time to relax!</li> </ol>

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