Half Life [T1/2] Reaper '12.
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OK guys its that time again. A recent thread has sprung my wild imagination to devise a new solution for the discussion. Here is the link for the thread: https://powdertoy.co.uk/Discussions/Thread/View.html?Thread=14340
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The topic of the thread was to discuss a way of simulating radiation release in irradiated particles, through some means, perhaps a tool that could be used. In this thread I will be describing the new possible tool I have envisioned to serve as that fix to the question.
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Half Life. I'm going to assume you know a little background knowledge on the scientific term, Half Life. However the reality is its hard to make assumptions, so I will aid you in this learning process by providing a link to a website that can describe the term in greater detail. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-life
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Half Life, in this situation, can be the term to use to describe the release of neutrons in an unstable
element. Throughout this thread I will refer to it as such, so please don't be confused with the concept of
Half Life versus the name of the tool.
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The Half Life tool will be a selectable element that can be used as a way of highlighting elements. To basically describe the visual features, it will turn whatever non-wall material that is highlighted to a slightly darker shade than it normally is colored. There may be a slight dark shade pattern too, depending on preference from whoever makes it. It will be almost like shading something in the decor layer, except it is separate from the decor mode and it has a reaction that can only be used in the normal TPT page with all the elements. (No it's not in the decor mode, but in how the highlighting works it is similar.) Ctrl+drag (I think it is.) will be the keyboard shortcut to highlighting a large area in a rectangular pattern from top left to bottom right.
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After the highlighting of the element, granted the TPT page is unpaused, the element will be marked next to its name in the top right corner, as unstable. This will denote the element is under-going the decaying process. This will provide another visual form of confirmation as to whether or not the element is considered unstable, although the color change should be more than enough to be sure as to whether it is or isn't unstable.
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Every 10 seconds, the unstable element will release 5 neutrons per pixel. Only one pixel will be destroyed for every ten second cycle, and for each destroyed pixel, the release of 5 neutrons will occur. This in itself creates an issue with how the neutrons will be released if a pixel inside the mass of elements happens to be the chosen decaying particle. My solution is to have the neutrons be changed to a different name from traditional neutrons.
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The different form of neutrons will only be able to be created through the console (as all elements are) and through this new tool. Since this variation is basically a new element in itself, but still a near copy of regular neutrons, we can give it all new properties. To follow with the tradition of particle decay, these neutrons can also have a limited life based on when they are released, as opposed to normal neutrons with unlimited life, if not interfered with by outside forces that can cause it to be destroyed. At this point I'm getting off topic with the new neutron's capabilities. Its true purpose for being redone would be to solve the issue of having the neutrons trapped inside the mass of decaying particles.
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The more original purpose of making a newer neutron based element was so I could give it the ability to travel through any mass of highlighted (Highlighted by the Half Life tool.) material. If this feature would not be present, neutrons would be trapped inside the mass of decaying particles, unable to escape. And if I made it so the new neutrons could go through anything including non-highlighted elements, it would defeat the purpose of having the neutrons act like normal neutrons once they escaped the mass of decaying particles. This seems like the only viable option, so why not?
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As for the details on the new neutron element, I suppose it could be called HLNT or even HLNE, standing for Half Life neutrons. It would pass through decaying elements and sporadically die off once outside the decaying mass of particles at random times, always varying from one particle to the next. It would also be lots of different shades of darker blue, darker compared to regular neutrons. It would also not be available on the normal elements bar/tabs.
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Evidently, the "Reaction" will continue until all highlighted particles are consumed. The new tool will almost be like a prop edit tool, as in the form of the tool having the ability to change the properties of the regular materials, changing them into decaying particles.
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This is a simple outline of the idea, and with all my suggestions, they have great room for additions small and large. If you think something should be changed or added to this suggestion, by all means, let me know. If you like the idea, or hate it for some reason, also let know. There is a comment button for a reason. I really hope everyone likes this idea, as I can see it being a real kickstart to the revival of the concept of Radioactivity here on TPT. Thanks for reading, and please leave comments, the more ideas the better this has a chance of being added.
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Signed,
Reaper.

@nmd, sure I guess that's a good summary.

Has anybody read this so far? I feel as though I'm wasting my time by even posting this thread in the first place.