NUCLEAR PROGRESS

The United States now stands 18th in the world in percentage of electricity generated by nuclear power with 23%. First and second places are held by Lithuania and France with nuclear electric generation of 86% and 76% respectively.

In a closely related development, the CTR Technical Services, Inc., (5619 Misty Crest Drive, Arlington, TX 76017) Summer 1996 newsletter reports the discovery of a new element.

"The element, tentatively named administratium, has no protons or electrons and thus an atomic number of zero (0). It does, however, have one neutron, 125 assistant neutrons, 75 vice neutrons, and 111 assistant vice neutrons, which gives it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by a force that involves the continuous exchange of meson-like particles called morons.

"Since it has no electrons, administratium is inert. It can, however, be detected chemically as it impedes every reaction with which it comes in contact. According to the discoverers, a minute amount of administratium causes one reaction to take over four days to complete when it would normally have occurred in less than a microsecond.

"Administratium has a normal half-life of approximately three years, at which time it does not decay, but instead undergoes a 'reorganization' in which assistant neutrons, vice neutrons, and assistant vice neutrons exchange places. Some studies have shown that the mass actually increases after each 'reorganization.' "Research at other laboratories indicates that administratium occurs naturally in the atmosphere. It tends to concentrate at certain points such as government agencies, large corporations, and universities. It can usually be found in the newest, best-appointed, and best-maintained buildings.

"Scientists point out that administratium is known to be toxic at any level of concentration and can easily destroy any productive reaction where it is allowed to accumulate. Attempts are being made to determine how administratium can be controlled to prevent further irreversible damage, but results to date are not promising.''

Even Science has taken note of the decline of American nuclear technology - a trend which its editorial policy has certainly done little to inhibit. "Nuclear Power in East Asia'' by Philip H. Abelson, Science 272, p 465 (1996), notes that no nuclear power plants have been authorized in the United States during the past ten years while large numbers of power reactors have been built in four to five years and operated successfully in East Asia. Government regulations increased American construction times to more than ten years. University nuclear engineering departments in the United States have decreased in number from 80 to 35 since 1978, and, according to Abelson, if these trends continue, "U. S. capabilities in nuclear technology will gradually become second class.''