Although Guinea's nuclear power plant has just begun construction,
in reality, the preliminary work for this nuclear power plant has long been underway.
The refinement of Uranium-235 is not that simple; otherwise, why would most countries lack the capability to produce nuclear weapons, despite the principle being so straightforward?
Let's understand the construction process of a nuclear power plant.
First, uranium ore must be mined, then crushed into small pieces using a crusher, and ground into fine sand in a grinding machine.
Next, concentrated acid, alkaline solutions, or oxidizing agents are poured in. After a series of chemical reactions, a powder of uranium oxide with a concentration of 70%–90% is obtained.
The purpose of this step is to separate the uranium from the uranium ore.
Then, the most difficult part comes.
Everyone knows that Uranium-235 is an isotope, accounting for only about 0.7% of natural uranium ore.
Its sibling, Uranium-238, makes up 99% of natural uranium.
However, Uranium-238 has no nuclear energy value.
Therefore, to build a nuclear power plant or make nuclear weapons, these two siblings must first be separated.
And this very step stumps ninety percent of the world's countries.
Now, we need to chemically react the uranium oxide powder obtained from chemical decomposition with hydrogen fluoride to obtain uranium hexafluoride gas.
Then it's the centrifuge's turn.
This centrifuge isn't an ordinary one but a specially made uranium enrichment centrifuge. This technology is key to nuclear fuel production, and most countries cannot manufacture it.
Next, we inject the obtained gas into the uranium enrichment centrifuge.
Under the high-speed rotation of the centrifuge, the heavier Uranium-238 is thrown towards the tube wall, while the slightly lighter Uranium-235 remains in the central area. The gas near the central axis is then extracted and transported to another centrifuge for further separation.
How difficult is this work? Let's take Iran as an example.
Due to limited centrifuge technology (in fact, Iran manufacturing its own uranium enrichment centrifuges is already a miracle), Iran used over ten thousand of its own centrifuges, spending ten years, to refine 300 kg of enriched uranium with a 3% enrichment level.
After the Uranium-235 concentration is increased, it is sent to a special nuclear fuel manufacturing plant.
After a series of processes, they are converted from gaseous form into solid uranium dioxide powder, which is then pressed into small fuel pellets and sintered into hard ceramic material. These are the uranium dioxide ceramic pellets.
These pellets are typically cylinders 1 cm in diameter and 1 cm in height.
Finally, hundreds of pellets are stacked and placed into a zirconium alloy tube about 4 meters long, forming a fuel rod.
Fuel rods can be further assembled into fuel assemblies, each containing 90 or more fuel rods.
A 1000 MW pressurized water reactor requires about 27 tons of uranium annually, which is roughly 18 million fuel pellets and over 50,000 fuel rods.
In comparison, a coal-fired power plant of similar scale would need over 2.5 million tons of coal to generate the same amount of electricity.
And Martin started Uranium-235 refinement work in Guinea ten years ago.
The preparatory work was completed long ago.
...
Time came to August.
Aquaman is about to be released.
Promotion started early.
Three versions of the trailer have created a hot topic online.
Just like in the original timeline, Martin created a brilliant underwater world, sparking immense interest among movie fans and generating widespread online discussion.
For humanity, the deep sea and the universe are both unexplored, equally mysterious places.
Aquaman's premiere was dazzling.
What caught media attention was that Nicole Kidman, who played the "Queen of Atlantis" in the film, attended the premiere with her and Martin's son, Connor. The eight-year-old boy looked incredibly handsome.
"Is this Martin's son? So handsome!"
"Used to see Martin taking his son out, carrying him, but later couldn't see him anymore."
"Heard Nicole didn't agree."
"Then why does she agree now?"
"Probably grew up."
Although young Connor isn't very old, it's clear he has received a good upbringing. He is comfortable and polite in social situations.
During the interview, a reporter from The New England Journal, which has never been friendly with Martin, deliberately threw a malicious question at him: "Connor, have you seen your father's film Get Out?"
Connor answered honestly: "Yes."
"What do you think about your father portraying a white family as evil serial killers?"
Nicole was furious upon hearing this and was about to intervene, but little Connor had already smiled and replied: "Okay, I know what you mean."
"You want me to say my father discriminates against white people? Oh, my father portrays white people as serial killers, that's terrible! Is that what you want to hear?"
Little Connor's expression became animated as he continued:
"If you say that, then it's not just my father who discriminates against white people. You know, until now, in all TV shows and movies about serial killers, that most of the serial killer is also white. Tsk tsk tsk, every serial killer is white!"
"So it's not just my father, right?"
"Look at what they film. I know, not all white people are serial killers, but all serial killers are white. This is discrimination."
Connor paused, smiled at the reporter, and said: "Isn't it? Isn't this discrimination?"
The New England Journal reporter instinctively nodded, thinking the child had fallen into his "trap." He had already thought of tomorrow's headline: "Martin Meyers' Son Condemns His Father for Discriminating Against White People." Moreover, the child's words also involved other directors; perhaps the matter could be blown up...
While he was dreaming, little Connor's words took a turn as he smiled and said:
"White people being serial killers, haha, that's really not a good thing, but it's not white people's fault. It's because only white people can be serial killers. Only white people can quietly, covertly, continuously commit eight murders without getting caught."
"Other races can't do that! This isn't the directors' fault, nor is it white people's fault."
"Do you think there aren't black people or people of other skin colors who want to be serial killers?"
"Of course there are! I know no race, just like discrimination." At this point, Connor glanced at the reporter meaningfully.
"But they can't succeed!"
"Can you imagine a black serial killer? He drives to the supermarket to buy things and gets pulled over by the police on the way."
"Police officer, what's wrong?"
"Your taillight is out."
"It is on."
Then officer feels threatened, requesting to open fire.
Connor imitated the dialogue between a black person and the police, causing loud laughter in the interview area, especially from the black reporters, whose laughter carried a mocking tone towards the New England Journal reporter.
Connor continued: "Indian descent, Latino, Asian—none can be serial killers. Their families care too much about their children."
"Imagine an Indian descent, Latino, or Asian serial killer bringing a suitcase home."
"Ah, Grandma, you don't need to go through my things."
"Why is there a person in your suitcase?"
"What are you doing?!"
"Ah, call a doctor, call the police, this person has fainted."
"No!"
Connor's spot-on imitation made the reporters laugh heartily again.
Except for the New England Journal reporter.