Subscribe now

Letter: Earth's nuclear heart

Published 25 September 2004

From Chris Rosagro

A nuclear reactor at the centre of the Earth is an intriguing prospect. But I have two problems with Marvin Herndon’s hypothesis as described by Stephen Battersby (7 August, p 26).

First, the near-surface natural reactor once active at Oklo hardly supports the idea that dense uranium salts would have concentrated at the centre of the Earth. More disconcerting is the notion that gravity is a significant force near the centre of the Earth. Deep within the Earth gravitational forces cancel and the net effect is that gravity is weak within the core and zero at the Earth’s centre. Therefore, if matter is organised deep within the Earth, it would not be due to its density.

Gooseberry Hill, Western Australia

Issue no. 2466 published 25 September 2004

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop