A group of researchers have come to believe that Earth once produced oxygen that contained tiny nuclear reactors. The scientists came to this assumption because of missing radioactive mineral from geographical records. The radioactive oxygen could possibly have played an important role in the evolution of early life. Scientists have linked that oxygen produced over 2.5 billion years ago was mixed with a photosynthetic bacteria that the gas became a waste product in Earth's seas. Around, the same time uraninite a volcanically produced mineral started to disappear. Scientists believe that the oxygenated water dissolved the uraninite. The researchers developed their hypothesis further believing that when the oxygenated water dissolved the uraninite that grains of radioactive uranium was released and traveled to water banks and shorelines. When enough uranium is accumulated a fission reaction beginnings releasing the neutron radiation. Scientists are comparing this with the only known area in the world where fission naturally has taken place Oklo, showing chemical evidence that concentration of uranium reactors once burned. Scientists are further testing this hypothesis in hopes to prove that natural nuclear reactors were present in ancient Earth. If proven, this will change the way scientist's look at nuclear energy, radioactive waste disposal and health issues with humans coming in contact with the low levels of radiation.
http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/1029/1
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