As WUWT readers know, I’m an advocate of do it yourself, amateur science, that what the surfacestations.org project was. This however, in our hypersensitive world, was a recipe for trouble:
Swedish Man Arrested For Building a Nuclear Reactor In His Kitchen
Swedish police have detained a 31-year-old man in Ängelholm in western Sweden who was discovered after he sought advice from authorities on the legality of building a nuclear reactor in a domestic kitchen.
The man began his experiment some six months ago and has reportedly been open about his plans to construct a nuclear reactor in his apartment in the small Swedish coastal town, maintaining a blog of his nuclear adventure.
The man, who explained that his interest in nuclear physics was awakened as a teenager, ordered some radioactive material from overseas and acquired more by taking apart a domestic fire alarm.
Despite the man’s frank and full disclosure of his experiment, his activities only came to the attention of the authorities a couple of weeks ago when he contacted the Swedish Radiation Authority (Strålsäkerhetsmyndigheten) to inquire if it was legal to construct a nuclear reactor at home.
It appears that there likely wasn’t any danger from this guy as he did his experiment, and even though he talks about meltdown, it seems he didn’t come anywhere close to having a critical mass for runaway fission. I mean, c’mon, just how much Americium can you get out of a smoke detector?
The guy likely “ordered some radioactive material from overseas…” from this source:
Yep, good ol United Nuclear.
Full disclosure: I have some pitchblende and some radioactive glass marbles somewhere in my collection of stuff. I also have some pure liquid mercury in my collection of thermometers. I guess that makes me a target for a visit from the science police.
Funny thing though, one of my very first blog posts back in 2006 was about Nuclear power in your basement and nobody got arrested from that one.
Seems like the right sort of person to interface with the TSA.
FYI – Actual thermonuclear fusion being performed by “amateur” enthusiasts at home:
http://www.fusor.net
For those who are saddened by the lack of “science” in Climate Science, these guys are proof that all is not (yet) lost.
Here is an article and video by Microsoft.
“Carl Greninger works in Microsoft IT Operations as a PM. Carl is also the closest I’ve met to a real life “Doc Brown”. He even has his own version of a Mr. Fusion, except his really works. Carl spent about a year along with a group of 13-17 year old students building his own nuclear reactor. Precisely, what they’ve built is called a Farnsworth Fusor. Carl and his team are listed as being in “The Neutron Club”, which means they have built an operating neutron producing fusion system, with two of the 13 year old members on his team being listed as “Youngest Fusioneer”.
Carl talks to us about his Fusor, what drove him to build it, and what he hopes to accomplish with it.”
http://channel9.msdn.com/Series/Show-Us-Your-Tech/Show-Us-Your-Tech-Nuclear-Edition
Since he was apparently released without being charged, did the authorities remove his equipment as well?
And I guess most EU authorities arent impressed by people trying to get around the fact that anyone in Europe pays almost 5 times more for energy then anywhere else.
A few decades ago, an independent researcher developed an easily constructed and super efficient electricity generator that utilized inexpensive frijoleum. Needless to say, all news of this system was squelched by the corporate powers, and the original is now housed in a very secure warehouse in the Nevada desert, sitting on a shelf next to a 100 mpg carburetor.
DCC says:
August 4, 2011 at 3:20 pm
That lab was reconstructed at Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village in Michigan. It was moved there in the 1920s. Recreated is the better term http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/edison/#comes says “When Ford and Edison went to New Jersey to recover the buildings they found that most of them had been removed or had collapsed. Ford had his staff reconstruct the Menlo Park buildings from photographs and a few surviving original materials.”
Thinking you might have meant Edison’s West Orange site, I checked http://www.nps.gov/edis/planyourvisit/hours.htm and it says it’s open Wednesday – Sunday.
Eek… I may have to be more careful about saying “I nuked the food”, some kind of SWAT team may show up in my house as I am using the microwave… LOL
I made a neutron burrito once…..killed everyone within 20ft, but didn’t hurt my pants.
Next project is a brazil nut pit, wrapped in a spherical banana shell. Mentos and diet Coke will be the detonation material.
Seriously though, I know a 15yr old kid who has built a successful Farnsworth fusor, and created neutrons. For real.
@Mike M—-
If it’s appeared on the TV show CSI then there’s a good chance it is an urban legend. Just IMHO
And, besides, a little radiation is good for you —
http://www.radpro.com/641luckey.pdf
Prof. Luckey is the dean of radiation hormesis, and this brief 20 page overview is only a small dose of the extensive literature available.
Need radioactive material? Down wind from Hanford, or a nuclear bomb test site or two, or wonder about a certain area of Japan for some of the fresher material. Some half lifes are longer than others. Use a centrifuge for separation of lighter and heavier “stuff.” Maybe go to Iraq and pick up some of those A10 spent Uranium bullets laying about the desert. I hear they get a good price.
All joking aside, recall back in the ’70’s when we were all supposedly going to have our own nuclear plant to power our homes? Can’t do that, the power, coal and oil companies would loose their grip on controlling home energy. Damn…I was so excited about the prospect of some being a nuclear guy.
I had a nuclear stress test today. They injected the material, took pictures of my heart, tried to kill me on the treadmill and then injected some more. They then took the “after” pictures. The doctor of internal medicine said I would glow in the dark for 3 days. Now that it’s dark, I’m going to the master bath with the big mirror, stripping down and turning off the lights to check it out. Won’t my husband be surprised!
Laurie says (August 4, 2011 at 8:59 pm): “The doctor of internal medicine said I would glow in the dark for 3 days.”
I’ve heard of women having a “glow”, but this is ridiculous!
@ur momisugly ian middleton: August 4, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Scraping Radium off of dials is not a great idea. Radium in this chemical form is easily ingested and absorbed by the body. Because it is analogous to calcium, it tends to concentrate in the bone and it is very slow to leave the body. The other radioactive items that you own have near zero risk. As I’ve seen your comments before, I have no doubt you have a reasonable understanding of things radioactive, I just don’t want other folks to think its okay to scrape radium off of dials. Folks, always look at the chemical form before messing with radiactive materials. If the chemical or physical form is not easily ingested or absorbed by the body, then it is likely to be relatively safe to handle it. It is why folks who handle uranium pellets and rods in the production of reactor fuels need very little protection: the uranium is in a solid form, hence little chance of airborne particles; and uranium is not readily absorbed by the body in this chemical form.
@ur momisugly Gary Swift: August 4, 2011 at 11:59 am
Yes, Hawn is a little bit odd, and he also had a bad case of acne. The spots on his face are not the result of radiation exposure. Should you ever read the book “The Radioactive Boy Scout”, take it with a big grain of salt (preferably KCl), because the author is obviously anti-nuclear and the book is rife with technical errors and full of anti-nuclear hyperbole.
Bob Kutz: Priceless:
Anyway, why in the heck would anybody call the government to ask if it’s okay to build a breeder reactor in your kitchen? Might as well ask them if the thermite grenades you built in your garage are okay to ship through the mail. Or ‘does this nuclear warhead make me look fat?’ It guarantees their immediate and malevolent attention. Duh!
Made my day.
WillR says:
Sorry about the link… Try this for the DYI crowd…
http://www.edn.com/blog/Anablog/41223-When_kids_really_had_fun_with_science.php
I used to have “The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments”. Almost impossible to find now, but I’ve got it in PDF & have printed a hardcopy. My kids are taking their turn with it.
Dang, there goes the experiments in food preservation by home-brewed un-powered irradiation by naturally-radioactive sources. What other methods can so retain the nutrition and taste of fresh foods, that don’t require undue amounts of energy likely derived from fossil fuels?
The Greens don’t want irradiated food, although there are many hungry people in the world who would benefit from nutritious fresh food that doesn’t require refrigeration for storage. The Greens don’t want genetically modified food, although there are many hungry people in the world who would appreciate the increases in yields. The Greens don’t want the use of fossil fuels, although it takes so much energy for modern food preservation I doubt renewables could ever supply it along with the rest of the energy for “modern civilization.” While being so concerned about “green and healthy foods,” the Greens don’t seem too concerned about those most in need of good food so they can simply be healthy.
I would assume that it would be against the law in this county (USA) to build or attempt to build a nuclear device, explosive or non-explosive, when said device can be used to increase the number of radioactive nuclei on this planet, unless officially licensed to do so. It may also be illegal to publish or attempt to publish the design of a functional nuclear device depending on the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
“@ur momisugly Gary Swift: August 4, 2011 at 11:59 am
Yes, Hawn is a little bit odd, and he also had a bad case of acne. The spots on his face are not the result of radiation exposure. Should you ever read the book “The Radioactive Boy Scout”, take it with a big grain of salt (preferably KCl), because the author is obviously anti-nuclear and the book is rife with technical errors and full of anti-nuclear hyperbole”
Thanks for the heads-up. Note to self: never trust wiki.
Reminds me of a book that I read a few years ago…The Radioactive Boyscout. The kid pretty much did the same thing but with more dangerous consequences.
http://www.amazon.com/Radioactive-Boy-Scout-Backyard-Nuclear/dp/037550351X