Uraninite

Ivan Yefremov’s The Nur-i-desht Observatory conveys ideas of spirituality and other worldly powers; however, when discovered that the source of renewal and everlasting joy comes not from the temple-esque observatory, but instead from worldly and rational radium, it becomes not a place of serenity and human development, but instead, one of scientific discovery. The battle between a spiritual awakening or a stimulant inducing elation forces a question about the existence of divine encounters, which in turn restricts human experience and invalidates emotion. The short story provides a scientific understanding for the idea of exultation, a feeling that is typically abstract and subjective. The story follows Ivan Timofeyevich in his pursuit of an excavation of the Nur-i-desht, or “light in the desert”, observatory. He follows Tanya to the site and is immediately encapsulated into the beauty of the site and its ethereal impression. He describes the site through its “[c]alm, expanse, pure mountain air, and the blue of a heavy sultriness overhead”, trailing off as if words were not enough to describe the beauty and the feeling that it invoked (208). The site, according to Tanya, fills her with a radiant joy, and it “seems […] that this ancient observatory is a temple… I can’t really express it clearly… the earth, the sky, the sun, and something mysterious and beautiful that imperceptibly permeates this ungoverned space”, and she continues with her vindication, stating “I’ve seen…

Radium was discovered in the pitchblende just like polonium. Pitchblende is a mineral, or ore like substance filled with uraninite. When Marie was able to purify the pitchblende enough to isolate a new element, she found one and called it radium. She chose the name radium because when discovered it, it gave off a great deal of radiation. The element has changed the world due to its uses in the medical field. Radium can be used to fight against different types of cancers by shrinking their cells.…

concentration is generally very low. For a better understanding of trace elements in petrified wood, the current paper focuses on identifying the chemical characteristics of the silicified wood samples. It aims to provide information on mineral chemistry and colour attribution in petrified wood. The results of this study will provide a better understanding of silicified wood identification for the use in mineralogy and gemmology. 2. Background on the mineralogical composition of petrified woods…