Most of these varieties are fissile - meaning their atomic nuclei can easily be split. Plutonium-239 is the isotope typically ...

But unfortunately this arrangement doesn't last very long. Because plutonium-239 self destructs, undergoing radioactive decay by spitting out a highly energetic alpha-particle to produce Uranium-235.

This, as he found out, isn’t something you should do lightly, as the one he used ended up containing an interesting mix of radioactive materials, including small amounts of plutonium-239 ...

Located in the East China Sea, the islet has historically lacked geographical or historical significance. That, however, has changed. This nondescript island, which has largely been uninhabited, has ...

This can eventually lead to the production of ultra-pure plutonium-239, which is ideal for use in nuclear weapons. Each reactor could produce around 200 kilograms of weapons-grade plutonium every ...

Credit: IFJ PAN The results of the study have provided unique information about the accumulation, distribution and sources of plutonium isotopes in glaciers. The concentration of 239+240 Pu ...

The results of the study have provided unique information about the accumulation, distribution and sources of plutonium isotopes in glaciers. The concentration of 239+240 Pu activity turned out to ...