Red Mercury: Is it Real or Just a Scam?

On March 30th, 2017, the streets of downtown Atlanta were closed down with police officers redirecting traffic amid “Red Mercury” investigation. This was after a man claiming to possess red mercury sourced from Africa walked into the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission facility.

In other news, three men were arrested and accused during a 2006 London Trial over the claims of trying to procure red mercury, a potentially dangerous substance that was claimed to be used to build nuclear bombs.

According to the chief judge, one of the men believed that this substance was a cure for impotence. But was that the actual reason as to why they were sourcing the raw ingredients of this substance?

Is red mercury as dangerous as it’s purported to be or it’s just a scam?

Well, let’s find out.

Red Mercury is an exceptionally precious, rare, dangerous, and exorbitantly expensive substance with properties that cannot be rivaled by any existing compound.

The substance is said to be a chemical compound known as mercuric iodide, a highly poisonous, odorless, tasteless, and water-insoluble scarlet-red powder. When subjected to about 126-degrees Celsius, the substance turns to yellow.

References to red mercury first came into light after being aired by the biggest Soviet as well as western media sources back in the 80s where it was claimed to be of great significance in the making of nuclear bombs.

ISIS, Al Qaeda, and other terrorist groups are said to have offered as much as $1 million to whoever would offer to supply them with the substance.

A kilogram of this substance was said to go as high as $1, 800, 000.

A Real Threat or a Hoax

Samuel Cohen, a nuclear physicist who recently died, said he believed red mercury was an actual threat. This is a man who took part in the making of the atomic bomb “Los Alamos” during the World War II. He also helped design a neutron bomb in 1958.

According to Cohen, red mercury could possibly be used to create a pure fusion bomb the size of a softball- a bomb capable of wiping out each single living soul in a half-mile radius.

Even with all the hype, its existence has not yet been documented.

Another nuclear physicist and a terrorism expert, Dr.Frankly Barnaby said that there was an actual substance known as red mercury.

According to Barnaby, the substance was a mixture of mercury and antimony in an exceptionally heavy compound with a reddish tint. According to the physicist, the Soviets were manufacturing it in large quantities, although it’s not known why.

During his research, he however stated that he found no evidence of the substance being used in weapons.

Vic Hogsett, an analyst, found all the rumors purporting the high potency of red mercury to be big scams.

According to the Department of Energy and International Atomic Energy Authority, nothing has been proven on whether red mercury actually exists or not.

If such a substance fell into the hands of terrorists and was capable of triggering a nuclear explosion, the threat to their entire world would be catastrophic. And the fact that it is invisible to standard detection measures makes the situation even worse.

All in all, whether it’s real or just a mere scam, the fact that its existence has not yet been documented makes things a lot more murkier for governments and the public as well.

We can only hope that the “red mercury hoax” was in the real sense created as a means to confuse dangerous terrorists and waste their time on a wild-goose chase for a non-existent substance.

Things To Do To Survive A Nuclear Explosion

It all starts with a bright flash more than the sun. All trees, fences, people and even animals catch fire immediately. Millions of people die by just an explosion. Also, the nuclear weapons can also cause great damage by what is called nuclear fallout. It refers to a process where radioactive materials are carried by the wind and consequently, more damage is caused. However, there are some few things that you can do so that you survive. Look at the following:

What do you do if you are outside when the bomb drops? The first thing you don't want to do is look in the direction of the explosion since the flash of light from it will blind you. Also, you need to drop your face down flat on the ground and cover yourself if you can. Once you feel the wave is over, go to find shelter. Move to the deepest part of the building. It is safe if there are more than one layer between you and the radioactive material. If you can go underground, it becomes safer. Carefully remove your clothing and put it in a plastic bag and seal it up as best you can. Removing your clothing will remove 90% of the radioactive material. Remove the bag as far away from people and animals as possible. Take a shower with soapy water making sure not to scrub or scratch your skin. Shampoo your hair but do not use any conditioner. Conditioners will cause radioactive particles to stick to your hair. Gently clean your ears with a clean wet cloth, do not insert a cotton swab into your ear as you may push radioactive material into your ear canal. Gently blow your nose. If showering is not an option, you can use baby wipes to clean with.

If you are aware that a nuclear blast is coming try to find the safest building you can for protection. Remember the more layers between you and the radioactive material the better. When relocating to a different area, the decision of taking a vehicle is a bad idea. Try to make it to a place you can quickly walk to. Plan on sheltering in the place for at least 24 hours.

If you can afford to build a blast shelter or fallout shelter, it might be an investment to consider. A blast shelter and a fallout shelter are not the same. As the name suggests, a blast shelter is designed to protect against the initial blast whereas a fallout shelter is designed to protect against the radioactive fallout after the blast. Keep in mind that if you are in the immediate area of the blast, no blast shelter is going to protect you. A fallout shelter doesn't need to be fancy; it can be any space with enough material which is dense to keep you safe.

After the Chernobyl accident, potassium iodine tablets were widely used and found to be more effective in children than formerly thought. Potassium iodine tablets are designed to help protect the thyroid glands from radioactive iodine by blocking or reducing the chances of it entering the thyroid gland. If you don't have any, it may be a good idea to get them now because in the event of nuclear fallout they may be hard to find.

Gas masks can protect you from inhaling radioactive particles which are where most of the damaging effects of fallout will come from. You should learn how to use the gas masks even before buying them. It is good to have better radiation suits, and once you afford one, then you will be safe. For the rest of us, just like going to a shelter, the more layers, the better. Any protection is better than no protection. If you do have all the fancy gear, don't think that you are immune to the radiation. You still need to limit your exposure.

Remember to make sure to listen to any and all communication devices you have. Ths is because you don't know what will be functional. It must be done the moment you get away from the affected area. If you can survive the initial blast and take the right actions you can survive.

Effects of nuclear explosions on human health

Nuclear weapons are the fastest growing threat ever since the end of Second World War and its first ever use in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Like all the conventional weapons, nuclear bombs have their own set of side effects and drawbacks. The problem here is that that their effects are long term and more devastating than the impact of all the conventional weapons combined USSR and USA realized this threat and started the process of disarmament amidst the Cold War. Although the states use nuclear materials mostly for deterrence purposes but the recent use of chemical weapons in Syria have sparked the debate of their effects on human health yet again.

A traditional gun is fired, the bullet hits the target and the target is injured or dead. The story ends there but that is not the case in nuclear explosions. When a nuclear bomb is dropped the radiation has heavy long term consequences for the people affected by it. These bombs have radiations that are particularly damaging for human health.

The most damaging effect is on the human brain. The brain cells do not reproduce so because of the high radiation these brain cells are damaged including nerve cells resulting in seizure and immediate death.

The high amount of radiation from nuclear explosions causes damage to small blood vessels that result in a heart attack or death. These radiations are damaging for the blood system as well. However this does not cause immediate death but it may end up effecting a person’s health for life.

A nuclear explosion also releases heat and blast waves which directly kill every human that comes in their way. They make the air heavier to breath and cause numerous deaths by choking. These are the various short term effects of a nuclear explosion. There are some long term effects as well. In case of the Hiroshima Nagasaki explosion there are a number of long term effects that can be seen. Numerous Children born even years after the explosion suffered with some sort of mental or physical disability. This caused them a life long struggle just because their ancestors were involved in a meaningless war the psychological effects of these explosions often go unnoticed. People suffer the loss of their loved ones and their properties which can have a devastating effect on their mental health for as long as they live.

States need to realize the grave consequences of the use of nuclear weapons so that they can make rational choices before using a tactic with such massive impacts.