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Well, a lot depends on whether I'm an epidemiologist, or a tort lawyer!

;-)

Seraph: Wouldn't the elimination rate depend on whether the radioactive substance was ingested in pure metallic form or as a salt? I would assume that finely powdered metallic Po would be passed very...

Of course, if you believe that British agents killed Mr. L, you could argue that they chose to use Po210 on the assumptions that:

A. It would be mistaken for thallium poisoning (which it was, for...

You're right, seraph -- Po-210 has to be inhaled or ingested in order to be dangerous. So in the case of hospital workers caring for Litvinenko and changing his bedsheets, etc., the main danger to...

[Aaargh. ANOTHER accidental duplicate deleted. I've been having some buggy Internet access in the past week, sorry... --Th.M]

Leaving aside the point that I made above about what "half-life" actually means, Marcus's statement is odd in another way: What on earth would the British gain by making up a lie that Po-210 was used...

[accidental duplicate post deleted --Th.M.]

Actually, given a half-life of 140 days, after 280 days approximately 3/4 (75%) will have decayed, leaving 25% still active and emitting radiation. After 420 days (i.e., 3 half-lives), about 7/8...

Are they unable to adapt and learn the language, or do they decide that it's not worth the trouble to adapt and learn the language because most of the natives will never accept them or their children...