Latest news with #Daghlian
News18
6 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Plutonium Paradox: The Nuclear Core That Killed Its Makers - And Was Never Meant To Exist
Last Updated: The dangerous 'Demon Core' was never used. In 1946, it was melted and repurposed for nuclear research, but its deadly incidents left a chilling legacy In a gripping chapter of World War II history, a scientific discovery known as the 'Demon Core' proved to be as dangerous as it was powerful. This small plutonium sphere, weighing approximately 6.2 kg, had the potential to obliterate an entire city in moments. In the final days of World War II, after the US had dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a third bomb using this deadly plutonium core was prepared. However, Japan's surrender made its deployment unnecessary. The core was returned to the laboratory—marking the beginning of its terrifying journey. How Was The 'Demon Core' Made? The plutonium core was kept at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where scientists conducted experiments to study its neutron emissions and how it could be controlled. However, two separate accidents occurred within a year during these tests, resulting in the deaths of two scientists. First Accident On August 21, 1945 In the first incident, scientist Harry Daghlian was conducting an experiment to determine how quickly the core could reach a 'supercritical' state. By mistake, he dropped a tungsten brick onto the core, causing a sudden spike in neutron activity. Within seconds, the core became highly radioactive. Daghlian suffered severe radiation exposure and died 25 days later. Second Accident On May 21, 1946 What Happened Next? The dangerous core was never used again. In 1946, it was melted down and repurposed for other nuclear research. However, the incidents associated with it left a chilling legacy. The 'Demon Core' became a symbol of the thin line between scientific advancement and catastrophic risk. Its history serves as a stark reminder that nuclear power is not just a demonstration of capability—but a profound responsibility. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:
The Guardian
11-03-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Australian share prices plummet $45 billion after Trump recession fears tank US market
The Australian share market has plummeted, shedding more than $45 billion after US markets tanked overnight on recession fears. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 dropped more than 140 points, or about 1.79 per cent, to 7820.1, after jumping off a cliff at the start of Tuesday's session. The broader All Ordinaries index was down about 1.9 per cent, or 156.4 points, to 8035.3 points. The main index lost as much as $45 billion in market value, from Monday's close of $2.6 trillion, in the first half of the trading day. US president Donald Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs have fanned investor uncertainty at a time when the growth outlook of the world's largest economy is being questioned. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email 'The market's reacting at the moment to a number of factors, but things like concerns of Trump's tariffs, that this could trigger an economic slowdown,' CommSec market analyst Steven Daghlian said. 'The unpredictability of the trade war was something that really weighed on markets last week.' On Sunday and in the wake of weaker than expected US jobs and inflation data, Trump could not say if his protectionist policies could lead the US into a recession, sending shockwaves through global markets. China's retaliatory tariffs on select US imports are set to take effect by Monday. At the same time, the US Congress is scrambling to agree to a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown. On Wall Street, the S&P500 lost 155.21 points, or 2.69 per cent, to end at 5,614.99 points, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost 726.01 points, or 3.99 per cent, to 17,470.21. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 890.63 points, or 2.08 per cent, to 41,911.09. The tech sell-off impacted the so-called 'Magnificent Seven' stocks of Amazon, Apple, Meta, Google owner Alphabet, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla, all down more than 5%. Tech stocks account for roughly a third of the US share market, and the Magnificent Seven alone had a combined valuation of US$18 trillion ($29 trillion) in February, greater than the GDP of any nations except the US and China. 'When you have seven stocks that are so large and have such a significant weight on an impact on the broader market, you know that's obviously a risk,' Daghlian said. All 11 Australian sectors on the local bourse were in the red, led by IT stocks which fell by 4.9%. The resource sector and financials, which account for more than half of Australia's share market by company size, were down 2.0% and 1.7% respectively. Consumer discretionary stocks fell more than two per cent, while industrials, real estate and health care stocks were all down more than one per cent by midday. The Australian share market slumped about 8.1% from reaching an all-time-high of 8615 on 14 February. 'Yes, we're down heavily, but this is after record highs just weeks ago,' Daghlian said. The Australian dollar was buying 62.68 US cents, down from 63.16 on Monday afternoon.
