Why is "Am-241" trending?
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- Date: 2026-03-14 06:57:19
This topic has appeared in the trending rankings 1 time(s) in the past year. While it does not trend frequently, its appearance suggests a renewed or concentrated surge of public interest.
Based on Wikipedia pageviews and search interest, this topic gained significant attention on the selected date.
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Wikipedia Overview
Americium-241 (241Am, Am-241) is an isotope of americium. Like all isotopes of americium, it is radioactive, with a half-life of 432.6 years. 241Am is the most common isotope of americium as well as the most prevalent americium isotope in radioactive waste. It is used in ionization-type smoke detectors and is a potential fuel for long-lifetime radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). Its common parent nuclides are β− from 241Pu, EC from 241Cm, and α from 245Bk. 241Am is fissile. The critical mass of a bare sphere is 57.6–75.6 kilograms (127.0–166.7 lb) and a sphere diameter of 19–21 centimetres (7.5–8.3 in). Americium-241 has a specific activity of 3.43 Ci/g (126.91 GBq/g). It is commonly found in the form of americium-241 dioxide (241AmO2). The presence of 241Am in plutonium is determined by the original concentration of plutonium-241 (which decays to it) and its age. Older samples of plutonium containing 241Pu build up 241Am may require chemical removable of americium-241 (e.g., during reworking of plutonium's pits).
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Search Interest Perspective
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Orano to supply Zeno with Am-241 to power space missions - American Nuclear Society -- ANS
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Orano and Perpetual Atomics Sign Agreement for Sourcing Americium-241 from Spent Nuclear Fuel Recycling to Create Space-based Power Systems - orano.group
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Improving Large-Scale Domestic Production of Americium-241, a Critical Component in Smoke Detectors and Nuclear Batteries - Department of Energy (.gov)
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Trace americium contamination sources in the environment can be detected using - Nature
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Zeno Power secures americium-241 supply for space nuclear batteries - SpaceNews
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Ukraine Scientists Question New Chernobyl Study - NucNet
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NASA Tests New Heat Source Fuel for Deep Space Exploration - NASA (.gov)
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Orano-Zeno deal aims to power space batteries from recycled nuclear ‘waste’ - World Nuclear News
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Americium: How a long-life nuclear fuel will transform space travel - Interesting Engineering
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Perpetual Atomics, QSA Global produce Am fuel for nuclear space power - American Nuclear Society -- ANS
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ESA taps Framatome for space fuel - Nuclear Engineering International
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Fermi America Launches Initial Public Offering - Neutron Bytes
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Space Park Leicester and Perpetual Atomics achieve historic first in radioisotope heater unit safety testing - Business Wire
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2025 One Hertz Challenge: Timekeeping At One Becquerel - Hackaday
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Germany: Top Researchers Slam "Unscientific" Krümmel Allegations - NucNet
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Recycled nuclear waste to power space batteries for NASA lunar rovers, landers - Interesting Engineering
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Alpha particle detection in high magnetic fields with applications in designing fission fragment rocket engine - Nature
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Perpetual Atomics and QSA Global Achieve Breakthrough in Americium Ceramic Fuel Pelleting for Space Power Systems - Business Wire
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AM 1316-241 - NASA Science (.gov)
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Potential Radioisotope-Element Harvesting from Recycling of Used Nuclear Fuel - orano.group
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Global first test success for NASA space power system - Phys.org
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NASA tests new nuclear fuel that could outlast plutonium in space - Interesting Engineering
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NNL to develop americium-powered space batteries - World Nuclear News
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NASA’s nuclear power system passes first test with 5x cheaper fuel - Interesting Engineering
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Americium-241 heat source planned for Mars rover in a space exploration first - American Nuclear Society -- ANS
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"We’re Not Ready": Scientists React To NASA’s Nuclear Fuel Stronger Than Plutonium As Space Race Risks Spiral Out Of Control - Sustainability Times
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High-Risk Radioactive Material: Opportunities Exist to Improve the Security of Sources No Longer in Use - U.S. Government Accountability Office (.gov)
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New nuclear heaters use americium-241 to stop spacecraft freezing - New Atlas
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LANL Accelerates Americium Production To Reduce Foreign Dependence - Los Alamos Reporter
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NASA Selects Zeno to Lead Team to Develop Radioisotope Power System for Lunar Applications - SpaceRef
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Chemistry in Pictures: Americium the beautiful - C&EN
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Am from snowfalls in the atmosphere settling on Mt. Zugspitze in 2014, 2015 and 2016 - Nature
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Monte Carlo optimum management of 241Am/Be disused sealed radioactive sources | Scientific Reports - Nature
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Mars rover mission will use pioneering nuclear power source - Nature
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Optimal Neutron Spectrum Database for In‐reactor 238Pu Production - Wiley
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Inside the Nuclear Battery That Could Last 433 Years—And Why It Will Change Space Exploration Forever - Popular Mechanics
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Europe’s first Mars rover will use nuclear-powered heaters - Popular Science
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Investigation Probe Into Research Centre Incident - NucNet
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ACG Clinical Guideline: Preventive Care in Inflammatory Bowel Disease - National Institutes of Health (.gov)
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Perpetual Atomics and QSA Global Sign Collaboration Agreement - Business Wire
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Oklo and Switch Make History with 12 GW Nuclear Power Agreement - CarbonCredits.com
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UK generates usable electricity from americium - World Nuclear News
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Leicester combines expertise with NASA to power spacecraft into new frontiers - University of Leicester
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A genius boy scout tried to build a nuclear reactor in his parent’s shed. Here’s what happened - BBC Science Focus Magazine
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Facts About Americium - Live Science
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Houston space tech company secures $2.4M to collaborate on moon exploration innovation - InnovationMap
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Brazilian research center develops prototype nuclear battery - Revista Pesquisa Fapesp
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Americium - RSC Education
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Atomic Alchemy, Oklo’s Proposed Acquisition Target, Signs MOU with Zeno Power to Provide Fuel for Commercial Radioisotope Power Systems - Business Wire
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Random Numbers From A Smoke Detector - Hackaday
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Hunt launched after Halliburton loses radioactive rod in Texas desert - The Guardian
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Drones Fly Low & Slow for Radiation Detection - CleanTechnica
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Photos: 35th annual Carr Center Cake Auction - Zanesville Times Recorder
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INES 1: Anomaly - Stichting Laka
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MSI Modern AM241 review: An efficient but imperfect All-in-One - IT Pro
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UK Space Agency and NNL work on world’s first space battery powered by British fuel - GOV.UK
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Who was David Hahn and why was he nicknamed the nuclear boy scout? - Interesting Engineering
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Motorcyclist Killed On State Route 241 In Irvine - KFI AM 640
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Killer 'hot particle': Sellafield coast 'like Chernobyl and Fukushima exclusion zones' - The Ecologist
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The Rod Has Been Found! Halliburton’s Radioactive Tool Discovered At Last - NPR
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Halliburton finds lost radioactive rod in Texas - The Guardian
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Mapping the Occupation: 241 km² of Armenian Territory Remains Under Azerbaijani Control - CIVILNET
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Astronomy Photo of the Day: 5/24/15 — AM 1316-241 - Futurism
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Europe Finland - Stichting Laka
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Radioactive-sourced smoke detectors in homes will be forbidden from 2020 - The Brussels Times
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Incident: Aeromexico Connect E175 at Mexico City on Sep 25th 2013, hard landing - The Aviation Herald
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Soviet Era Smoke Detector Torn Down, Revealing Plutonium - Hackaday
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Cumbria selected for new £19million space battery programme - ITVX
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Vauxhall to reduce Ellesmere Port headcount by further 241 in 2019 - AM-online
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1976 RADIATION VICTIM DIES; WAS TREATED FOR RECORD DOSE (Published 1987) - The New York Times
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Americium Power Source - thefutureofthings.com
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