Dr. Max Fomitchev-Zamilov

That's for the granite. And they're also more or less the same. And I bought a piece of Aswan granite from eBay also to compare. That's the kind of point I was making throughout this talk. All scientific analysis is comparative. So if you take a spectrum of anything, Very rarely you can say if it's remarkable or not unless you can contrast it against something else.

That's for the granite. And they're also more or less the same. And I bought a piece of Aswan granite from eBay also to compare. That's the kind of point I was making throughout this talk. All scientific analysis is comparative. So if you take a spectrum of anything, Very rarely you can say if it's remarkable or not unless you can contrast it against something else.

That's for the granite. And they're also more or less the same. And I bought a piece of Aswan granite from eBay also to compare. That's the kind of point I was making throughout this talk. All scientific analysis is comparative. So if you take a spectrum of anything, Very rarely you can say if it's remarkable or not unless you can contrast it against something else.

And in this case I was contrasting the spectrum of the vase against the spectrum of the rock. And my hope was that if the vase was machined using nuclear technique, there would be trace radioactivity from those isotopes used that I'll be able to detect. Well, so far I haven't detected it.

And in this case I was contrasting the spectrum of the vase against the spectrum of the rock. And my hope was that if the vase was machined using nuclear technique, there would be trace radioactivity from those isotopes used that I'll be able to detect. Well, so far I haven't detected it.

And in this case I was contrasting the spectrum of the vase against the spectrum of the rock. And my hope was that if the vase was machined using nuclear technique, there would be trace radioactivity from those isotopes used that I'll be able to detect. Well, so far I haven't detected it.

But, you know, I'm very interested in looking at some of the other vases in your collection, particularly at the basalt vases, because, you know, who knows, maybe I'll spot something there. But that's not it in the sense, you know, does the nuclear analysis stop here?

But, you know, I'm very interested in looking at some of the other vases in your collection, particularly at the basalt vases, because, you know, who knows, maybe I'll spot something there. But that's not it in the sense, you know, does the nuclear analysis stop here?

But, you know, I'm very interested in looking at some of the other vases in your collection, particularly at the basalt vases, because, you know, who knows, maybe I'll spot something there. But that's not it in the sense, you know, does the nuclear analysis stop here?

Because chances are, if the nuclear machining technique was used, the isotopes used would be short-lived, meaning they would decay in six months, in a few years. So assuming that these artifacts are ancient, ancient, none of those would be present because of the half-life. It will be all, you know, pretty much decay to background, so you wouldn't expect to find anything.

Because chances are, if the nuclear machining technique was used, the isotopes used would be short-lived, meaning they would decay in six months, in a few years. So assuming that these artifacts are ancient, ancient, none of those would be present because of the half-life. It will be all, you know, pretty much decay to background, so you wouldn't expect to find anything.

Because chances are, if the nuclear machining technique was used, the isotopes used would be short-lived, meaning they would decay in six months, in a few years. So assuming that these artifacts are ancient, ancient, none of those would be present because of the half-life. It will be all, you know, pretty much decay to background, so you wouldn't expect to find anything.

So, but in this case, it's possible to look for decay products. And decay products will be bithymus or lead or some other elements. Basically, for every radioactive isotope that we know of, there is a very well-known decay chain. with lead or bismuth or something else of that sort at the end.

So, but in this case, it's possible to look for decay products. And decay products will be bithymus or lead or some other elements. Basically, for every radioactive isotope that we know of, there is a very well-known decay chain. with lead or bismuth or something else of that sort at the end.

So, but in this case, it's possible to look for decay products. And decay products will be bithymus or lead or some other elements. Basically, for every radioactive isotope that we know of, there is a very well-known decay chain. with lead or bismuth or something else of that sort at the end.

So if I subject, let's say, these vases to a micro analysis using XRF, which is an X-ray fluorescence technique, or micro analysis using energy dispersive spectroscopy in a electron microscope, you know, perhaps I can detect traces of the elements that could have been the decay products of those radioactive isotopes used for nuclear machining. And that would prove the hypothesis.

So if I subject, let's say, these vases to a micro analysis using XRF, which is an X-ray fluorescence technique, or micro analysis using energy dispersive spectroscopy in a electron microscope, you know, perhaps I can detect traces of the elements that could have been the decay products of those radioactive isotopes used for nuclear machining. And that would prove the hypothesis.

So if I subject, let's say, these vases to a micro analysis using XRF, which is an X-ray fluorescence technique, or micro analysis using energy dispersive spectroscopy in a electron microscope, you know, perhaps I can detect traces of the elements that could have been the decay products of those radioactive isotopes used for nuclear machining. And that would prove the hypothesis.

The challenge, however, is in the shape of these artifacts. You see, both XRF and EDS microanalysis techniques work, I want to say best, but I should probably say primarily, if not exclusively, on flat objects. because the way it works, so here is your sample. Then you have a beam, be that electron beam or x-ray beam, and that beam reflects, and you have a detector at the side.

The challenge, however, is in the shape of these artifacts. You see, both XRF and EDS microanalysis techniques work, I want to say best, but I should probably say primarily, if not exclusively, on flat objects. because the way it works, so here is your sample. Then you have a beam, be that electron beam or x-ray beam, and that beam reflects, and you have a detector at the side.