🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <178@newave.newave.mn.org> john@newave.newave.mn.org (John A. Weeks III) writes:
>
>Eeek! I was looking for a smiley at the end of your post, but I didn't
>find one.  While I don't know about using nukes to nudge comets, I have
>recently heard a few stories about the Soviet Union using nuclear bombs
>for peaceful purposes.  They reportedly dug canals with a-bombs, seriously
>polluting several rivers in the process.  They also used a-bombs as a
>mining explosive--then sent unprotected workers into the mine only hours
>after the explosion.  Please try to refrain from using nukes for anything
>other than blowing up people, and I really hope we don't use them for
>that purpose either.
>
>-john-
>
	Eek! I was looking for a smiley... :-)  Seriously though...
Yes, there are reports that the Soviets used nuclear bombs for
engineering projects.  A couple of comments though.  Part of the problem
with the rivers was not so much radioactivity (as I recall) but the fact
that they reversed the direction of a few, and completely changed
the eco-systems on them and others.  Not that we haven't done the same.
Take a look at the mouth of the Colorado.  It's litereally a trickle.
And VERY polluted.

	As for using them as mining explosions, it would seem the smart
thing to do is NOT let unprotected workers into the mine.  ANd
radioactivity in a mine is not uncommon, there is a lot of
Radon in coal mines.  Also, my understanding (several eyars old)
is taht they were creating large underground fuel resoivoirs... not mines.

	The big trick is developing CLEAN nuclear weapons, i.e. ones with
a minimal amount of fallout.  It can be done to some extent.


>-- 
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>John A. Weeks III		(612) 942-6969		    john@newave.mn.org
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