And you might mention for the nuclearly impaired that the fuel used in RTGs is not the same as the fissionables used in reactors and weapons. Marc de Piolenc Eric Cordian wrote:

Peter Trei wrote:

...

I have a vague memory of seeing a photo of a ?3 inch? ball of Pu (isotopic composition unknown) in one of those old Time-Life books. The ball glowed a dull red with it's own internal heat.

Sounds like plutonium-238, NASA's favorite fuel for deep space Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs). It puts out 0.54 kilowatts/kilogram and has a half life of 87.8 years.

-- Eric Michael Cordian 0+ O:.T:.O:. Mathematical Munitions Division "Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law"

-- Remember September 11, 2001 but don't forget July 4, 1776 Rather than make war on the American people and their liberties, ...Congress should be looking for ways to empower them to protect themselves when warranted. They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin