Ecosphere News
Long before humans thought of nuclear energy, nature had already established its own reactors deep within the Earth in Gabon, Africa, nearly two billion years ago.![]()
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In 1972, a team of French physicists led by Francis Perrin made an astonishing discovery while analyzing uranium ore from the Oklo mine in Gabon.![]()
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They found that the concentration of uranium-235, a key isotope for nuclear fission, was unusually low in some samples – lower than the standard 0.720% found elsewhere on Earth, measuring as low as 0.717%.![]()
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This anomaly couldn't be easily explained, leading to further investigation that uncovered evidence of ancient, self-sustaining nuclear fission reactions across sixteen identified sites in the Oklo region.![]()
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It turned out that around 2 billion years in the past, conditions were just right for these natural nuclear reactors to form and operate.![]()
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At that time, the natural abundance of uranium-235 was higher, about 3%, similar to the enrichment levels used in many modern nuclear power plants. This concentration, along with deposits rich in organic matter that helped concentrate uranium, and the presence of sufficient groundwater, created the necessary conditions.![]()
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Groundwater seeping into these uranium-rich deposits acted as a moderator, slowing down neutrons and allowing chain reactions to begin. As the reactions generated heat, the water would boil away, temporarily halting the process. 🤔![]()
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Once the area cooled and water returned, the nuclear reactions would restart. This incredible cycle is believed to have continued intermittently for hundreds of thousands of years, possibly around 150,000 years for some reactors.![]()
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These natural reactors safely contained their radioactive byproducts for billions of years, offering valuable lessons for how we might manage man-made nuclear waste today. ⚛️![]()
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The Oklo reactors remain the only known examples of such a phenomenon on our planet, a remarkable testament to the Earth's ancient geological and nuclear history. 🌍![]()
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Sources: International Atomic Energy Agency, Scientific American, Nature Journal, Geological Society of America #NaturalNuclearReactor #Oklo #GeologicalHistory
Waste management are regulated through the National Environmental Management: Waste Act. EIA’s and BA’s are required during the waste management license applications.![]()
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Best Practice Guidelines for High-Elevation Wetland and Peatland Management in Southern Africa![]()
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Wetlands deliver essential ecosystem services worth billions of Rands to replicate. Despite their economic value, they face ongoing threats worldwide. This is concerning for water-scarce regions like southern Africa, especially under climate change forecasts. High-elevation wetlands form part of the water towers in the upper reaches of our catchments that provide, support, and regulate water resources to many downstream users. While the impact of destroying wetlands is obvious, a more subtle impact is degradation through mismanagement.![]()
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Scientific understanding of wetlands and their management has improved but remains inaccessible to those responsible for stewarding these ecosystems, primarily private and communal landusers. BirdLife South Africa and partners have developed simplified and illustrated management guidelines for high-elevation wetlands (above 1 400 m) in southern Africa's mesic grassland regions. These guidelines are designed for land users (landowners, farmers, traditional authorities, protected area managers) and their advisors, providing practical knowledge to balance land use with wetland conservation, benefiting communities, future generations, and wildlife.![]()
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Download your free copy: www.birdlife.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Wetland-Management-Guidelines-layout-pages.pdf![]()
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Limited physical copies are available to wetland practitioners (e.g., government officials, consultants, NGOs) for collection from the BirdLife South Africa Headquarters: Isdell House, 17 Hume Road, Dunkeld West 2196, Johannesburg, South Africa![]()
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For more information, please contact Dr Kyle Lloyd, Wetland Conservation Project Manager/Rockjumper Fellow of White-winged Flufftail Conservation, BirdLife South Africa, kyle.lloyd@birdlife.org.za
Despite what the name suggests, drylands are home to more than a quarter of the world's forests, a third of global biodiversity hotspots and provide critical migration points for birds. ![]()
#DidYouKnow #funfact #FunFactFriday #Ecosphere #environment #environmentalspecialist #EnvironmentalManagement #environmentalconsultant #environmentalconsulting #environmentalcompliance #EnvironmentalAssessment #environmentalscience #EnvironmentalScientist #environmentalmonitoring![]()
Source: www.worldenvironmentday.global/did-you.../fun-facts
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