Lasers Tackle Radioactive Waste

Summary

August 14, 2003: Scientists have demonstrated how to use a laser to convert one radioactive isotope into another with a much shorter half-life.

Source

Bibliography

1. Original Article

Game and Story Use

• In science fiction settings, this system could form the basis of a "portable decontaminator", cleansing objects and even regions in fairly short periods of time.
  • There could be autonomous robotic vehicles driving or walking through contaminated areas and gradually cleansing them.
  • Ironically, this kind of technology might encourage nations to use nuclear weapons in wars, since they can still make use of the conquered territory even if they have dropped a nuke on it previously.