What is Ballotechnics?

Ballotechnics is a speculative, controversial field of nuclear physics that studies ballotechnic nuclear reactions. A ballotechnic reaction occurs when a high-energy nuclear isomer makes a transition to a ground state, releasing gamma rays but no beta or alpha rays. Alpha and beta rays are actually bits of a nucleus, while gamma rays are pure electromagnetic energy. Because no matter is released in a ballotechnic nuclear reaction, but only energy, the substance itself does not experience a change in mass. In a high-energy nuclear isomer, protons or neutrons in the nucleus are in an excited state, and the affected particles must undergo a change in spin to release their excess energy. Isomers can be induced to release this energy, but not all at once - there is no known chain reaction that could cause the immediate release of the isomeric energy. Many speculators without training in nuclear physics have suggested scientifically dubious ways that it can, leading to some labeling the ...  more