ISPECTRUM Issue 14/July - August 2015
MAGAZINE
YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
GARAMANTES
The Lost Kings of the Sahara The trap of vitrified radioactive HLW glass
CONTENTS Features
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17 03 GARAMANTES: The Lost Kings of the Sahara 05 Castles and irrigation channels 08 Not so barbarian 11 Four-hourse carts 13 Incredible technology 16 Pyramids -Tombs 17 YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM AND THE STORY OF ANTIBIOTICS 18 The use of antibiotics 23 A strong immune system 24 Emotional immune system 27 The trap of vitrified radioactive HLW glass How within less than 600 years the glass vitrified radioactive HLW will become a global environmental issue
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37 WHY OUR BODY IS COmPOSED OF ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY 41 DNA 42 Heart magnetic field
editorial Mado Martinez Editorial Director
Dear Readers, We are pleased to announce the release of Issue 14, made, as always, with all our love. We open this new edition with a mysterious civilisation: Garamantes, the lost kings of the Sahara. One millennia ago, Garamantes not only survived the harsh conditions of their environment, but thrived thanks to trade and technological supremacy. Paco Gonzalez will guide us through enigmatic cave paintings and strange pyramidal tombs. Will you follow with us? We continue with medicine thanks to two special contributions from Dr. Fahad Basheer. We will explore our immune system and the story of antibiotics, as well as the electromagnetic energy that composes our body. Also in this issue, Dimitre Assenov has come to talk about the trap of vitrified radioactive HLW glass: how within less than 600 years the glass-vitrified radioactive HLW will become a global environmental issue. Enjoy the read and feel free to comment, share and write for us.
Ispectrum magazine
Published Bimonthly
ISSN 2053-1869
Editorial Director Mado Martinez, madomartinez@ispectrummagazine.com Art Director Rayna Petrova raynapetrova@ispectrummagazine.com Contributing Editors Matt Loveday mattloveday@ispectrummagazine.com Bradley Terblanche Laura Hayes Contributing Writers Paco Gonzålez Dimitre Assenov Dr. Fahad Basheer Images Cover: ŠLuca Galuzz commons.wikimeadia.org morguefile.com freeimages.com
www.ispectrummagazine.com admin@ispectrummagazine.com
Mado Martinez
+44 7517 864 167 (UK)
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GARAMANTES: The Lost Kings of the Sahara
by PACO GONZĂ LEZ
M
paintings and strange pyramidal tombs show their symbolic and religious development. However, pillaging and the desert sands have hidden the greatest part of their history, which some link to the People of the Sea. It is not unusual that people refer to it as the African Atlantis.
illennia ago, to the south of modern Libya, a mysterious civilization flourished. Its people, known as Garamantes, not only survived the harsh conditions of their environment, but thrived thanks to trade and technological supremacy. Enigmatic cave
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They drove quadrigas, worshipped Ra and built pyramids...before the Egyptians?
Garamantes...From late 2011, the name of this ancient people settled in Libya shook off the desert dust and resounded in commentaries about lost civilizations. The reason was to be found in a discovery, thanks to new aerial and satellite photographs of over a hundred fortified villages hidden under the unforgiving sands of Eastern Sahara.
Actually, the authors of the discovery did know where to look. Not in vain, several sites associated to this civilization have been dug since the 30’s of the past century and, more recently, after 1997. However, the armed conflict that ended with the defenestration of Colonel Gadaffi and his regime, had kept in suspension - for obvious reasons - any archeological activity in the region. During his life, the dictator never really paid much attention - or help - to the research of the historical past of his country. 4
Photo credit :Germa,By Franzfoto (Own work) licensed under GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
CASTLES AND IRRIGATION CHANNELS
Besides its “black oil” deposits, the desert of this vast North African country holds first class archeological riches; treasures of such a value and mysterious nature as befitting of its owners. Very little is known about the Garamantes, and
what we intuit constitutes a true challenge for those enthusiastic for historical enigmas. “The Garamantes constituted a very complex civilization, which developed in fortified settlements to a great extent. They were a perfectly organised state,
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with cities and well delimited villages. In addition, they had written language and technology far advanced for their times. In fact, they were pioneers in the establishments of oasis’ and the demarcation of a trans-Saharan route”…
about this culture, which flourished between 600 B.C. and 800 A.D. However, during the press conference in which he presented his findings, he had to insist on its extraordinary importance: “It is as if someone came to England and discovered medieval castles”, he explained to a 6
British journalist, who was probably unaware of the context of the news. We do not berate him for that. With the exception of Egypt, archeology in the north of Africa is as arid as the subsoil being studied.
Photo credit :Germa,By Franzfoto (Own work) licensed under GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The author of this brief introduction is David Mattingly, Roman archeology professor at the University of Leicester and director of the project which has obtained the images in question. Extremely knowledgeable of the Garamantes’ Civilization, this famed archeologist is set to promote knowledge
Photo credit :Talessman at the English language Wikipedia,licensed under GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Before being forced to abandon Libya in February of 2011, Mattingly and his team had already made outstanding discoveries, such as the ruins of a fortress with walls reaching four meters high, numerous houses, cemeteries, wells, channels and irrigation systems. But we ask: how can we reproach ourselves for not knowing about these lost kingdoms when even the majority of Libyans had not been told about its existence? Therefore, to start, the best approach would be to locate the Garamantes in their space and time in history. Something which, as we will see next, is not an easy task. 7
Near East in 600 AD, showing the location of Garamantes before the Arab conquest.
NOT SO BARBARIAN However, accepting at this point Let’s forget the artificial borders the Greater Maghreb “Berber”, we which have fragmented the culturwill note that their borders incoral unity which we will call Greater porate a greater expanse, for we Maghreb, integrated by nations such must include the Canary Islands to as Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, the West and Egypt in the opposite Tunisia, Libya and, at least in part, direction. The map we will provide Mali and Niger, without forgetyou with is even less ting Western Sahara arbitrary. There or Sahrawi Arab is anthroDemocratic pologiRepublic cal and -, whose “The Egyptian god Amón-Ra, archeo w n of Saharian-African Origin, ologigeopowould be the deity Achamón c a l litical (Sun) of the Guanches of e v i definiTenerife” dence tion is w h i c h today as support sorrowful as it. The most it is polemic. important, undoubtNow, let’s observe this edly, has to do with the language part of the African North East way and writing. With this point, it is conbefore its Islamization. We will go venient to define “Berber”. Actually, to approximately 6000 years ago, this term was coined in times of in a land populated by who were the Roman Empire, referring to the colloquially called the “Berber” ethsupposed “barbaric” nature of those nic group (we will later see why North African tribes. Therefore, we this definition is inappropriate). 8
Photo credit :Germa,By Franzfoto (Own work) licensed under GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The so-called Hattia Pyramids where important people and rulers of the Garama Kingdom were interred in the Sahara Desert, Libya.
are going to keep the name these very ethnic groups used to refer to themselves: “Amazigh” or, - the plural form - “Imazighen”. This is, “free men” or “noble men”.
Far from being superfluous, the language as a unifying factor would explain highly disconcerting enigmas which have lasted to the present day as, for example, the discovery of the same writing 9
in places as far from each other as Tenerife in the Canary Islands (Spain), and the oasis of Siwa in Egypt.
We will continue ignoring the artificial bor-
der we know from the present, and we can start to imagine the nomad people or, the “Amazigh”, who would go back and forth in the Mahgreb and Sahara. Some important classic historians – mainly Greek and Roman - mention several of those tribes, rarely omitting the name of what was probably the most prosperous and enigmatic of the North of Africa: The Garamantes.
“There existed, in the Libyan Sahara, a long tradition of mummification which ended being exported to Egypt, according to some experts”
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FOUR-HORSE CARTS
Why were they called Garamantes? This Greek denomination comes, supposedly, from Garama, currently Germa (or Jarmah), a location to the southwest of Libya, in the province of Fezzan, just a few kilometers away from the border with Algeria, where the first sites associated with the civilization were dug – research which coincided with the Italian occupation during the 1930’s. Soon, the transalpine archeologists would notice the unusual importance of their discoveries. Coinciding with a particularly adverse period in the weather of the area, the Garamantes decided to establish sedentary settlements where they developed complex farming and mercantile structures; profess peculiar cults and traditions - such as mummification (see box) - and set their architectonic and painting likes free, which we know due to the abundant petroglyphs which pepper the mountain and caves off this area. The content of these paintings - very similar to the neighboring one in Tasili n’Ajjer in Argelia, incidentally - seems to partially corroborate some of the 11
Rock paintings in Tadrart Acacus region of Libya dated from 12,000 BC to 100 AD. There are paintings and carvings of animals such as giraffes and elephants reflecting the dramatic climatic changes in the area.
descriptions which classic authors like Pliny, Strabo and Herodotus, among others, made about the Garamantes. This last historian writes the following in the fourth tome of The Nine books of History: “From Auguila, after a trip of ten journeys, there is another hill with salt in its water and with many fruit bearing palm trees like in the other ones, and with men who live in that hill who are called the Garamantes, very populous nation, who, to sow the land, cover the salt with a layer of dirt�. 12
Photo credit :By Luca Galuzzi (Lucag) licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 , via Wikimedia Commons
Tadrart Acacus a desert area in western Libya, part of the Sahara
He then adds: “Said Garamantes go hunting the cave-dwelling Ethiopians, mounted in a four horse cart, which is necessary because these Ethiopian men are the lightest on their feet we have heard about”.
Although they seemed
extremely literary, the annotations by Herodotus already underline two singular facts in connection with the Garamantes. The first is when their skill in farming activities is highlighted. Regarding the second, the Greek historian describes what anyone who visits the region and observes
the cave paintings can verify by himself: The Garamantes were masters in the driving of quadrigas, long before the vehicle was adopted by the armies of their Egyptian neighbors.
INCREDIBLE TECHNOLOGY Roman historians underlined the Garamantes’ combat ferocity as well. A verifiable fact from the figure of General Lucious Cornelious Balbo Moinore, who finally defeated them in 19 B.C. Such was
the merit of that victory and the loot he took to Rome that Balbo, even when he was born in Cadiz, received the Ovatio from the hands of the Roman senate, an honor which only politicians and military men born in the Italian 13
peninsula had received. Even when it lost the capital of its kingdom, Garama, it is said that irreducible factions of the Garamantes continued harassing the Roman legions, through incursions which lasted until the years 110-
Photo credit :By Luca Galuzzi (Lucag) licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 , via Wikimedia Commons
120 of modern times. Regarding their skill as farmers, it is noticeable that the Garamantes, against all odds, thrived in such a harsh climate, quite similar to the one the Sahara is suffering nowadays. They did it fundamentally due to the establishment of the oasis, improved by an irrigation system through subterra-
nean channels, something unheard of for its time. Known as foggaras (in Tamazigh), these channels collected subterranean waters and directed them to the orchards, preventing the burning sun from diminishing their volume. We know of the success of that procedure because of the present existence 14
of a network of more than 1,000 kilometers of foggaras, which in ancient times allowed the Garamantes to grow grain and Date Palm trees, among other plants. But the foggares are not, no less, the only evidence which gives faith to how advanced the Garamantes’ Civilization was.
Photo credit :By Roberto D’Angelo licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
In fact, the province of Fezzan garners a myriad of other proofs that do nothing but go deeper into the mysteries surrounding this society. We refer in particular, to the very ancient cave paintings and thousands of tombs -pyramids included - which pepper this region. In an area of approximately 500 square kilometers, on the outskirts of the great valley of Wadi al-Hayat, archeologists have discovered numerous paintings in caves and rocky places; graffiti which helps us to understand a little better the 15
“The drawings are between 20,000 and 12,000 years old”
hidd e n details of these people. The dating of the drawings is not simple, but it is believed that they are between 20,000 and 12,000 years old. As we had mentioned
a truncated pyramid, which were undoubtedly built with an intention of transcending time. It is the so-called pyramids - royal tombs of Ahramat al-Hattia - buildings which have miraculously survived the plundering and destruction and much extended practices in this area, which have erased possible evidence about aspects related to the mythology and religion of these mysterious Libyan-desert dwellers forever.
before, the representations of carts or quadrigas pulled by four horses and other animals are abundant.
It is hard to assume that the Garamantes knew these uses in such remote times, this being another of the impenetrable enigmas of what some have come to call The African Atlantis.
It is believed that the decline of the Garamantes was due to the Arab invasions in 700 A.D. and the transference of the trans-Saharian commerce routes to the West. Additionally, it is very possible that there was a deterioration of the climatic conditions and the subterranean waters, which until then had supported their lifestyle.
PYRAMIDS - TOMBS Additionally, many discovered artifacts are related in some way to the Garamantes - or their ancestors, belonging to the Acheulian and Aterian periods - which takes us to a strip between, at least, 100,000 and 30,000 B.C. Some of these objects - tools, spear heads, etc - can be seen in the Museum of Germa. Their funerary art deserves a special mention. In the previously mentioned region, around 120,000 tombs have been detected, a good handful of them with the shape of 16
Photo credit : Blood cells, By zhouxuan12345678 licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM AND THE STORY OF ANTIBIOTICS
by Dr. Fahad Basheer
Y
our Immune system is a miraculous biological system that is highly efficient in combating any foreign microorganisms that invade your body. It has very exciting and brilliant complex mechanisms and weapons to combat bacteria, viruses and fungi. Besides that, your immune system is incredibly powerful in fighting the cancerous tissues that arises from our body. Yes, the immune sys17
tem has a well-defined wisdom within it to specifically differentiate our own cells from the foreign and diseased tissues by recognizing them based on receptors on the cell surface. The Immune system is comprised various types of cells assigned to do different functions working together to bring a great revolution inside the human body to make it powerful and healthier {1}.
In developing nations, you will find both a mixture of infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases, and prevalence of infectious diseases in the poor nations is due to a lack of nutrition and hygiene. Constant use of antibiotics in hospitals and clinics throughout the world has now caused a shift from communicable disease to non-communicable diseases like autoimmune diseases. Do you know why? The constant use of antibiotics has now caused a serious impact on your immune cells, which are one of the fastest growing type cells in your body. In developed nations, autoimmune disorders predominate over the communicable diseases due to the emergence of antibiotics. As a result, the constant use of antibiotics in developed nations led to the emergence of autoimmune disorders. Therefore, the Government started to spend millions on fighting autoimmune disorders using immunosuppressants and steroids. However, these immunosuppressants contributed to further weakening of the immune cells,
In 1928, the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming gave hope for combating some of the toughest bacteria. This along with antibiotics took the health sector by storm. Antibiotics started waging war against infectious diseases with success. The public was impressed but for how long? The victory was short-lived. The bacteria developed genetic mechanisms to combat against antibiotics, and as a result, new antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria stepped into the arena. It has led to the emergence of bacteria with uncontrolled antibiotic resistance powers to fight back the drug. As a result of antibiotic resistance, 90,000 hospital patients develop infections in the USA. And because of this, in excess of 20 billion dollars a year is spent in the health sector as a part of its consequence. Mankind started spending billions of hard-earned money just to keep them at bay but without much success {2}.
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thereby paving the way for a higher susceptibility to infections, e.g. lymphoproliferative disease caused by Epstein Barr virus is a result of immunosuppression effect of immunosuppressant drugs.
After a certain period, the genes in the cells developed a resistance to the immunosuppressants and spelled doom for the patient. Steroids that initially made the patient healthy later made it easier for them to walk into their grave, due to its uncontrolled effects on the different receptors of the body, leading to its adverse effects. Every
Escherichia coli.Some strains of E. coli bacteria (such as a strain called O157:H7) may cause severe ane-
mia or kidney failure, which can lead to death. nephrologist in the world knows the reality that most renal diseases are caused secondary to diabetes (autoimmune disease), high blood pressure (93% of causes are unknown as per medical school 19
syllabus -- it is known as primary hypertension, which otherwise is known as the silent killer) and drugs. They have to first get the list of drugs that the patients were on previously, as these drugs
used by the patient for other disorders will badly affect the other vital systems of the body. Even though the drugs help save a person’s life several times at emergency departments and at casualty, it is still good enough to silently take a person’s life one at a time. And most doctors know the
reality of drug treatment as just keeping on maintaining an old scooter at home, and it is still foolproof that no drug exists without a side effect and given at the appropriate dose is the mode by which medical science try to adjust to in order to get the best therapeutic effect. In short, drugs often prove counterproductive, and they are not free of side effects. As they say, 20
autoimmune disease is the disease of a rich man of high living standards and who is well educated in the society with burdens of worries and stress in life, and infectious diseases are the poor man’s disease due to lack of food and hygiene and who is happy that he gets comfort looking at people above him. Yes, and that’s the tragedy of life {2}.
Have you ever gone through the results of a poll conducted by Dr. Tullio Simoncini, a famous oncologist from Rome, who has pioneered sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) therapy as a means to treat cancer, among doctors? Well, if not, here is what the poll was about. Dr. Tullio Simoncini tried to find out from the doctors who participated in the survey, whether they themselves would undergo chemotherapy if required. Do you know what the outcome was? 75% refused it outright. They were not sure of its effectiveness but were well aware of its devastating effects on the entire human organism {3}.
“According to medical associa“According to medical associations, tions, the notothe notorious and dangerous side rious and daneffects of drugs have become the gerous side fourth main cause of death after effects of drugs infarction, cancer and apoplexy” have become the fourth main cause of death after infarction, cancer and apoplexy” {4}. In the Journal of American Medical Association, Dr. 21
We often find people heavily dependent on antibiotics. Do you
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Photo credit : Blood cells, By zhouxuan12345678 licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
know what happens when they continue to depend upon the same drug day after day, month after month, year after year? The good gut bacteria die along with the bad bacteria. With the mass destruction of good gut bacteria, fungi that has all along been waiting on the sidelines for a chance to thrive, spring to life and grow rapidly and unopposed, thereby causing bloating, indigestion, diarrhea and increased yeast infection. The immune cells too suffer. Their source of nutrition, the good gut bacteria (lactobacil-
Barbara Starfield wrote an article revealing that from conservative estimates, the practice of medicine is the third leading cause of death in United States. But from the research of Gary Null it is the first leading cause of death with over three quarters of a million people dying from medical treatment each year {5}.
Photo credit : By Allan Ajifo licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
sion, in the right dosage and for the right period only. Empowering your immune system is the greatest success in combating anything in the world. Allowing you immune system to combat organisms makes you powerful and stronger in living a healthy and happy life. And if you don’t, you will indeed be a slave of antibiotics, thus weakening your natural health. You will have to lose your health in order to know the value of your own health {7}!
lus), is no longer there to nourish them or is drastically reduced in number and hence unable to provide them with adequate nutrition {6}.
But does this mean that we avoid antibiotics altogether? No. I do not deny the good effects of these drugs.
Since 1920, researchers were able to stimulate strong emotions by electrically stimulating the limbic cortex over the amygdala (the emotional store house of the brain), and amazingly, Dr. Candace Pert found high concentrations of neuropeptides in these location, from where the information from
Photo: www.aboutmodafinil.com But I would surely want to caution one and all against their indiscriminate use. Antibiotics can be taken but only if it is absolutely essential and under proper medical supervi23
activated the release of neuropeptide ligands are triggered off from emotion-processing areas of brain, and the whole memory co-existing with that emotion is held in the receptors to which these neuropeptides bind. Your immune system is composed of spleen, bone marrow, lymph nodes and white blood cells, and amazingly, they have these receptors for your neuropeptides of emotion and they have receptors for all the peptides that are present in the brain!! The immune sys-
It is proven that from the unconscious mind whenever emotion gets 24
Photo credit : By Pancrat (Own work) licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) , via Wikimedia Commons
our five senses relayed into your nervous system. Astonishingly, the receptors for these neuropeptides were also found on immune cells, for every peptide that was found in the brain, the immune cell had the exact receptor for these peptides and thus the immune system can send and receive information to the brain via peptides. She proved that the type and number of neuropeptides available at receptor sites of a cell influence your probability of staying well or getting sick. Whenever a person experiences positivity, the neuropeptides released from the limbic system occupy the same receptors of the cell used by the virus to enter the cell and replicate. Thus, the people with very good emotional health have a strong immune system and have less chance of getting affected by infectious diseases.
Lymphocytes are responsible for immune responses. There are two main types of lymphocytes: B cells and T cells.
tem also produces peptides that are the same as those found in brain that regulate mood; the immune cells send information to brain via immune peptides and receive information back in the form of neuropeptides. Immune cells and the brain are together in a network of communication via neuropeptides of emotion. The research has found that the people who suppressed negative emotions had decreased cell-mediated immunity, which is essential for your body to combat intracellular microorganisms that invade your body; decreased blood monocytes that is essential for maintaining immunity of your body; and elevated eosinophil, predisposing more chances to have allergy and high blood sugar counts, which results in increased 25
stress patterns and poor natural killer (NK) cell activity that predispose oneself to have a higher risk of developing viral infections and high serum Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibody titers, indicating higher risk for viral infections like infectious mononucleosis -- these subjects had decreased CD3 and CD8 lymphocytes. This clearly established that mental health plays a very vital role in determining the health of the immune system. Even our day-to-day stress like exams can have an impact on our immune system: a study was conducted at Ohio State University that the students who appeared for final exams had weaker immune response to
or virus. Creating emotional health is vital when it comes to the matter of the immune system. In staying mentally healthy, you will be physically healthier. A very good emotional health can save the use of lots of antibiotics and steroids. A stronger emotional health in an individual can save a lot of money. Stay positive and live the same. You will enjoy life’s precious moments {7}.
REFERENCES:
{1}The immune system- Peter Parham {2} The History of Antibiotics: A Symposium-john parascandola {3} Cancer is a fungus: Dr. Tullio Simon {4} Journal of American Medical Association, April 15, 1988 {5} The Biology of Belief: Dr. Bruce
hepatitis than unstressed students.
Lipton
Thus, by creating strong emotional health, one can empower their immune system to fight any tough and virulent bacteria
Organ: Malfartheiner
{6} Gut Microbiota: The Forgotten {7} The Science Of Emotions: Dr Fahad Basheer
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by Dimitre Assenov
The trap of vitrified radioactive HLW glass How within less than 600 years the glass vitrified radioactive HLW will become a global environmental issue
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V
crystalline matrix, the amorphous one very often sustains unexplained reversing to aging results. The only ongoing experiment for assessing the aging of amorphous glass for HLW vitrification is underway in China and is currently in its 16th year of testing.
itrification of radioactive high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in boron silicate glass is the primary technology used for encapsulating radioactive HLW. However, the model assumes certain critical assumptions for containment. A major assumption is that amorphous glass can stably sustain radioactive HLW with no significant degradation over time or release of radioactive materials. A key assumption for containment is based on the existence of ancient archeological glass artifacts and computer models for the boron silicate glass. H o w e v e r, the technical modelling assumptions to support computer simulation are based on some incomplete or ungrounded assumptions. The limited laboratory tests for glass aging (i.e. repeated heating and cooling) ignores the important point that, contrary to
The glass vitrification process is based on forming glass boron silicate in an amorphous composition at a melting temperature of around 650 degrees. At such a temperature range, the glass matrix prevents evaporation of the selected radioisotopes (e.g. Cesium). The next step is to mix the melted amorphous boron silicate glass with solidified highly radioactive HLW in proportions of around 63% to 67% glass and 33% to 37% solid radioactive HLW material (some mixing issues remain unresolved). The hot 28
Diagram showing three types of proposed waste packages for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste depository
mix produced is poured into stainless steel containers and allowed to solidify. Once this is complete, the glass encased HLW in placed into a stainless steel container that is encapsulated with a welded cap (small empty volume is left to compensate linear glass matrix expansion). The container is then stored on rags in Titanium steel
the glass/ HLW matrix in a stable state until the decay heating level dropped below biohazard levels. Assumed in the existing modeling, minor volume expansion during decay transition ignores major The process is based mineral geo-chemical on the assumption that transitions. bedding the radioactive This paper raises conmaterials in multiple metal corrosion-resis- cerns over important tant containers will keep missing elements in canisters and moved to a temporary storage warehouse. The final product may be stored in a deep geological repository (Carlsbad - New Mexico or Yuka mountain- Nevada).
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the modeling process. These conditions may jeopardize the assumption of geologically long stability of the glass for a radioactive HLW containment matrix. A key element is that amorphous glass in a solid thermodynamic state is considered as solid liquid / liquid solid with a very narrow threshold for reversibility known as super cooled liquid (liquidsemisolid-solid state and the reverse – solidsemisolid-liquid state) – refer to enclosed diagram.
pressure that was par- established. The misstially considered in the ing element is what will happen in the sealed vitrification modeling. stainless steel containIt is well known that er. The container volthe vitrified radioactive ume is constant and at HLW generates heat some point the presand will be in the range sure inside the stainof 500 to 550 degrees less steel container will Celsius for a period of start to rise. It is obviseveral hundred years. ous that the increased Since this temperature pressure will move the was significantly lower glass transition gap to from the initial melting the right, occurs at a temperature of boron much lower temperasilicate glass at room ture and become closer temperature, no addi- to the actual temperational concerns were ture range of 500-550
The first ungrounded assumption is that the glass melting temperature is significantly higher than the radioisotopes evaporation temperature. This threshold of glass transition will be narrowed significantly after applying 30
space, requiring rearrangements in the glass-vitrified matrix. As higher density occurs, these new crystals will project much higher pressure to the amorphous glass that will fracture in order to release the internal stresses. It needs to be considered that some of the steel containers may crack or fracture, in order to release the additional pressure in geometry configuration. (Although not perfect, the only way to avoid this is to leave them in the sealed container sufficient empty volume, that will compensate the volume changes – pressure valves are not acceptable because this will relate to ventilation issues inside the canister.) Accounting for only the linear expansion of the glass matrix, this was done at significantly reduced levels.
degrees Celsius. As a result, the super cooled liquid threshold will reduce which will bring the solid glass into a semi-softening or semimelting stage. At this point, we must consider the geochemical processes to explain the processes that will take place. Predominantly, all solidified HLW comprises quick formed unstable oxides. At an increased temperature and with no additional amount of oxygen or water, some of these oxides will form crystalline packets of metals and Silicon oxide, widely available in the amorphous glass (unstable predominantly chain configurations lattices, very well explained in the crystallography). Once formed in the semi-softened / semi-melted glass matrixes, these crystalline packets will continue to grow until the equilibrium in the mix falls under the sustainable for grow level.
This issue was not considered in the present storage containers. The process of expansion / precrystallization of the glass / HLW matrix will be complicated further by water vapor condensation that will occur inside the large canister. Filling the canister with nitrogen will decrease this effect but will not
Two global changes will happen in the original amorphous glass / HLW matrix. The newly growing crystals will occupy the configuration of 31
vacancies that will be filled with heavier atoms from the remaining radioisotopes.
prevent formation of water vapor. Thermodynamically, this newly formed water vapor will make the transition into liquid water droplets attached on the metal containers surface (internally and externally).
At elevated temperatures and pressure for a significant period of several hundred years, the semisoftened/ semi-melted amorphous boron silicate glass will undergo a partial or complete transition into a complex crystalline lattice formation. This transition will completely alter the inner limited space of the encapsulating metal container. The density difference between the amorphous glass (2.5 g/cc) and metal silicates (from 3.1 g/cc to 7.2 g/cc) will result in an expansion increase (neglecting the temperature expansion) from 1.24 times to 2.84 times the original volumes.
The designed ventilation and water drainage systems of the deep geological repository are assumed to accommodate all external water condensation in the tunnel. The concern is for all water condenses / vapors inside the steel containers and large metal canisters. This water will react with metal silicates and make the transition to complexes of Calcium, Sodium, Potassium and Barium Alumina silicates (Bowen Reaction series at low temperature range). These processes are well known in Geology. An additional process is also expected – as solid dissolution transition of the Silicates – a process well determined in Geology. This process is solid to solid replacement of some Silicon atoms in the tetrahedral lattice with atoms of Alumina, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium and Barium. This process also requires additional volume due to the large
This will complicate the process when specific conditions of the single radioisotope transition count. As an example, take the transition of Cesium – one of the shortest decay half-life radioisotopes – providing the steps and volume transitions. 32
of the Cesium decay – Barium Silicate to Barium Feldspar. In the HLW, Cesium appeared in the form of gas and oxide.
Cesium half-life decays to stable Barium within 30.17 years. This means that within 20 half-lives almost the entire amount of
Cesium in the HLW will make the transition to stable Barium. We must consider one specific mineral that occurs in nature as a by-product
This diagram indicates how crystalline silicate is formed in nature. The decay diagram also
shows that the transi- much larger space in tion to stable Barium is the crystalline lattice. heavier from its parent – this means it requires 33
The first step from combined temperature / pressure of the amorphous glass matrix will be formation of Cesium silicate.
crystal X-ray diffraction (space group P 6¯ 2m, a = 9.578(5) Å, c = 4.155(5) Å, Z = 0.5, 269 F(hkl), R = 0.0424) Ref to Original Russian Text © A.E. Lapshin, N.V. Borisova, V.M. Ushakov, Yu.F. Shepelev, 2006, published in Zhurnal Neorganicheskoi Khimii, 2006, Vol. 51, No. 11, pp. 1804–1808).
The excess Oxygen amount from the original Cesium oxide will be consumed by the formation of water vapor with the available Hydrogen from HLW. Once formed, the Cesium silicate undergoes a stage of collapsing during the decay transition – a process already determined in Nuclear Waste science.
It is very important The next step will be to recognize the signifiThe required Oxygen cant space differences the transitional formaatom will come ini- along the Crystalline tion of Barium Silicate, coming from the Cesium tially from the Cesium lattice vectors. decay in Cesium oxide in the HLW or Silicate. Silicon dioxide packets in the glass. During this crystalline lattice formation, the newly formed Cesium Silicate will require additional space inside the amorphous glass matrix. This results in a rearrangement of atoms’ positions in the much larger Example of initial Cesium Oxide cluster lattice compared to the amorphous one (single34
inventory (after spend fuel recycling) is in the range of 23.11% for US sludge after 6 years’ decay to 31.66% for AREVA sludge. (Reference: Nuclear Chemical Engineering.) The Cesium volume to total volume of HLW (after recycling) is 15.226% – for US sludge after 6 years’ decay.
From one side, the atoms’ Radii difference, combined with the new lattice configuration in which, two Cesium atoms are replaced with one Barium which is an indication of required additional, almost double space, the final mineral product will be required. At the final transition stage, when the temperature and the pressure falls under the original glass transition, Barium Silicate will undergo an additional solid to solid dissolution to form Barium Feldspar (with the presence of Aluminum) - known as Cyclosilicates (forming polyhedrons crystalline lattice).
After completion of the 20 half lives decay time (603.4 years), the formed Barium silicate will require at least twice the volume of 30.452% from the total HLW volume, or 11.267% (63% glass 37% HLW) additional volume from the total volume of the originally glass vitrification matrix. When combined with other decay chains, an estimate for the entire HLW radioisotope inventory is that during geological time transition, most of the encapsulated steel containers will sustain significant volumetric changes such as cracks or ruptures, that will compromise the sustainability of the entire glass vitrification process. The consequences will be extremely disas-
The final question is how to determine how much additional space the original Cesium in the HLW will require during its decay transition to Barium. The average amount of Cesium in the HLW fission products 35
stratigraphy, Aquatic chemistry, etc. Kicking the can down the road based on ungrounded assumptions for a good outcome after 1,000 or 10,000 years, by using a technically easy and cheap method for sequestering radioactive HLW, questions our credibility and responsibility to the future generations.
trous because the entire geological repository will become very highly contaminated and difficult to be maintained and control. This will include additional complex issues of maintaining surrounding the engineering barrier for extended geologic time, with unknown bio hazard consequences. The situation becomes more complicate from established in the Mining science indisputable fact, that at any time new artificial cell is formed in the rock matrix, the thermodynamic changes forms around water vapors condenses in form of established in geology perched fresh water lenses. These lenses are the next issue to come with toxic compounds transport (including long-lived radioactive isotopes and formed from the decay of other toxic chemical and reactive compounds).
Acknowledgment:
I would like to thank Dr. Garry Sandquist and Dr. Manoradjan Misra for reviewing the article.
This paper raises awareness of these issues, bringing for questioning the sustainability of HLW glass vitrification. The explained physical and geo-chemical processes are well known and established in different science disciplines such as Geology, Mineralogy, Geochemistry, Crystallography, Mining, Geologic 36
WHY OUR BODY IS COmPOSED OF ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY
by Fahad Basheer
T
he normal living cell is composed of a cell membrane, nucleus, DNA and mitochondria. Each organelle of the cell serves a particular role in the human body. The functioning of each cell is crucial when it comes to sustaining the life of each cell.
All energy is electromagnetic in nature, and nothing happens in the body without an electromagnetic exchange between cells
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For example: the mitochondria of a cell is essential for the generation of ATP which is the molecular energy that is essential for the various metabolic reactions in a single cell to occur. The DNA, mRNA and the tRNA is essential for the transcription and the translation of various proteins and peptides that are essential for its daily growth and metabolism. The cell membrane consists of numerous receptors that allow the flux of Na+, K+, Cl-, H+ ions. The blood, plasma extra
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cellular fluids and the intra cellular fluids of our body are composed of ions like H+, Na+, K+,Cl-, Ca2+.
At molecular level, each and every metabolic reaction occurs due to the interaction between two or more peptides or proteins. The protein, in fact, is nothing but a molecular structure made up of atoms like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen. The reason for any reaction to occur between
each molecule is due to the unpaired electron or electron deficiency in the reacting proteins. When the reaction occurs it is inevitable that electrons jumps from one protein to another causing the creation of an electric current. In physics it is inevitable that the electric current cannot co-exist without magnetic field. There are more than a trillion cells in our body and there are more than a 100 discovered metabolic reactions taking place at a time. These metabolic reactions are a continuous process until a man’s death. In the meantime, a huge net amount of electromagnetic fields are being generated within each cell. These electromagnetic fields only account for the contents in the cytoplasm of each cell and
the extracellular fluids (1,4).
The mitochondria, which is known as the store house of energy, is the only source for the human cell which can derive energy for its survival. Without
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this it is more difficult for the human cell to survive. If there is no mitochondrion we won’t ever get energy for our growth and development. The energy protein known as the ATP is formed in the mitochondria as a result of continuous influx and efflux
of H+ ions or protons across the mitochondrial membrane that help a series of oxidation reduction chemical reactions to occur. These protons are nothing but a charge. In the principle of electromagnetism it is solid law that the movement of any charge creates
electricity. And it is also evident that the magnetic field cannot coexist without electricity. Thus, it is foolproof that our mitochondria is constantly generating a three- dimensional electromagnetic field that is constantly present in us when we play, walk, talk, eat, sleep, read, etc. This is only about the electromagnetic field that generates from the power house of cell (2,4).
Now, here is the funniest and the coolest reality that makes us more amazed. There is no living cell in our body without a cell membrane. In the fluid mosaic model proposed by singer and Nicolson that we studied from our schools, we all know that there are millions of protein 40
channels on the cell membrane that allow the flux of water and ions like Na+, K+, Cl-, H+ and other ions. Yes, there are millions of ions crossing millions of protein channels over the cell membrane at any single time in each and every cell of the human body. By the law of electromagnetics, there is an influx of millions of ions creating a strong electrical current which in turn generate a powerful magnetic field. Thus, a powerful electromagnetic field is created. Yes, every living cell of the human body is endured with a electromagnetic field that generates within and surrounds them. In truth, the living cells in our body cannot exist without this electromagnetic field. Thus, the electromagnetic field of the cells in the
human body then determines the quality of metabolism and chemical reactions of a cell. Yes, it determines the life of the cell. The weaker the electromagnetic field, the more feeble and sluggish the metabolic reactions would be in the body. The stronger the electromagnetic field, the more excellent the metabolic reactions would be in the body (3,4).
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DNA DNA is an extremely long chain of molecules that contains all the information necessary for the life functions of a cell. It helps in carrying information from generation to generation and also helps in the production of proteins that are essential for growth and development of the human body. The
individual molecules that make up DNA are called nucleotides. There are only four nucleotides that are ever used; these are Adenine, Thymidine, Guanine and Cytosine. These nucleotides are made up of atoms like Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Oxygen. Quantum physics has discovered that our universe is made 99.999% energy and 0.0001% matter. It has Photo credit: (C) Stephan Brendgen now proved that even the atoms in DNA are nothing but energy. Each atom of DNA is made up of unique energy which codes a specific set of information within it. Every atom has its own energy signature. It was found that the molecules collectively radiate a unique energy signature. This energy signature is otherwise known as the “intelligence” that determines the behaviour of DNA in terms of production of proteins by transcription and translation, which in turn determines the physiology of a living cell (6).
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The human heart The human heart is the most powerful electromagnetic processor of your body. In fact, the heart is fifty times more powerful than the brain electrically, and five thousand times more powerful magnetically. In sum, the heart is five times electromagnetically more powerful than the brain, which constantly keeps on generating electromagnetic quantum packets that carry a set of information known as “intelligence” to the whole body, which is immersed in the field of the heart. This field is even detectable three to four feet away from our heart. By altering the electromagnetic fields of the heart, we are able to change the whole electromagnetic field that is immersed in the human body (7).
In summary, our human body is completely immersed in an electromagnetic field. The quality and strength of this electromagnetic field determines the quality of cell proteins, hormones, peptides, neurons and cells of the human body. This bio electro-
magnetic property is the fundamental principle by which even the MRI we use to scan our body works on. In the MRI machine, we are introducing the patient into the MRI system to visualise the internal organs. To get the image of these internal organs, we create a
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strong external magnetic field using high watt electromagnets in order for the protons (H+) in the human plasma to align in a single desired direction. Thereafter, we introduce a high frequency external energy to excite these protons in the human plasma that
aligns in a single direction due to the external electromagnetic field that is created by the powerful electromagnets that we use in MRI. When we stop sending the external energy, these protons start giving back the captured energy. This incoming energy is then
absorbed by a detector and is converted to images using intervening devices in the MRI system. MRI is one of the medical scanning procedures that is not hazardous to a patient (5).
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To conclude, our body is made up of flowing ions, charges and electrons that constantly generate electromagnetic fields in the human body. These electromagnetic fields, beyond their capacity to generate molecular reactions, also carries embedded informa-
tion and a set of rules known as “intelligence”. In fact, electromagnetic fields cannot exist without charged par-
ticles and at the same time charged particles cannot exist without electromagnetic field. Yes, the “intelligence”
in the electromagnetic field thus determines the health and disease of the cells in our body.
REFERENCES:
(1) Berg, Jeremy, Tymoczko, John L., Stryer,
Electromagnetics (2004)
Lubert, Biochemistry, 6th Edition. New York,
(5) Hornak, Joseph P. Ph.D The Basics of MRI
New York: Sara Tenney. (2007), pp. 410–
(6) Basheer, F., 2014. The Human Heart:
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The Origin of Light and Life: Elephant journal.
(2) Cooper, G.M., The Cell: A molecular
Available at: <http://www.elephantjournal.
approach,2nd edition (2000)
com/2014/09/the-human-heart-the-origin-of-
(3) Martin, Laura. The Fluid Mosaic Model of
light-life-fahad-basheer/
the Cell Membrane - The Mosaic. Connexions
(7) Basheer, F., 2015. The Science of Emotions.
(15 Oct. 2007)
PartridgeIndia
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The
Basic
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“ As our feelings change, this mixture of peptides travels throughout your body and your brain.And they´re literally changing the chemistry of every cell in your body,” -Dr. Candace Pert
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