What happens when a teenager attempts to build a breeder reactor in his backyard?

[pokerfan]

Yeah, this is from 1998 but the Japan crisis made me think of it today. http://harpers.org/archive/1998/11/0059750">The story as published in Harpers is worth a read. And of course, Wikipedia has the Reader's Digest version http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hahn">here.

Hahn diligently amassed this radioactive material by collecting small amounts from household products, such as americium from smoke detectors, thorium from camping lantern mantles, radium from clocks and tritium (as neutron moderator) from gunsights. His "reactor" was a large, bored-out block of lead, and he used lithium from $1,000 worth of purchased batteries to purify the thorium ash using a Bunsen burner.

Although his homemade reactor never achieved critical mass, it ended up emitting dangerous levels of radioactivity, likely well over 1,000 times normal background radiation. Alarmed, Hahn began to dismantle his experiments, but a chance encounter with police led to the discovery of his activities, which triggered a Federal Radiological Emergency Response involving the FBI and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. On June 26, 1995 the United States Environmental Protection Agency, having designated Hahn's mother's property as a Superfund hazardous materials cleanup site, dismantled the shed and its contents and buried them as low-level radioactive waste in Utah.

(Mug shot from Hahn's 2007 arrest involving smoke detectors.)

[Sabriel]

1. At least his pants aren't saggy

For some folks, that seems to be more egregious than do-it-yourself reactors.


Thanks for the Harper's link! I hadn't seen that.

[pokerfan]

5. I didn't even know there was a merit badge in Atomic Energy

In 1963, the Boy Scouts of America approved this as the 104th in their series of Merit Badges. The two booklets shown on the right provide the scout with the necessary information to complete the badge's requirements. The booklet on the right dates from 1965. It was produced under the direction of Saul Harris of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, the same Saul Harris responsible for the "Save a Roentgen" campaign.

http://www.orau.org/ptp/collection/medalsmementoes/boyscoutbadge.htm

[Liberal Veteran]

8. The requirements seem fairly reasonable, although...

Maybe a note at the bottom saying say "Oh and for God's sake: If trying to build a reactor out of spare parts or you'll be awarded the only rule to follow is DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!."

[Sabriel]

9. "He's a Superfund! A Superfund! He's Superfundy...."

Thanks, Rick James.

[Liberal Veteran]

2. Sounds like a person who knows just enough to be dangerous.

But not enough common sense to think "Gosh! Maybe building a reactor in my garage is a bad idea?"

[pokerfan]

4. wasted all his doses in his backyard

Hahn had hoped to pursue a nuclear specialist career. EPA scientists believe that Hahn may have exceeded the lifetime dosage for thorium exposure... (from the wiki article)

:banghead:

[Xithras]

13. Two rebuttals to that:

1) He was a teenager. "Common sense" is notoriously rare in that age group.

2) He built the reactor in the pre-Internet era, so it was substantially harder back then to obtain information on nuclear safety. He may have genuinely misunderstood the danger in what he was doing.

[AKDavy]

3. Boys will be boys

When I was a teenager I used to make some pretty wicked "ICBMs" with nothing but Estes rockets, fiberglass resin, and basic black powder and reloading supplies. Of course, that was in the 1960s, when my grandfather could buy blasting caps, mix up a little ANFO, and blow stumps out of his fields without being arrested for producing WMDs.

The good ol' days. They were much simpler. And more free.

[baldguy]

6. And those sores on his face aren't acne.

[skoalyman]

10. radiation exposure seams he's still up to his ole tricks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hahn#2007_arrest

[donco]

7. Present day occupation; meth cook? nt

[Occulus]

11. No. Petty thief, from the sound of it:

From the end of the Wiki:

On August 1, 2007, Hahn was arrested in Clinton Township, Michigan for larceny, in relation to a matter involving several smoke detectors, allegedly removed from the halls of his apartment building. In his mug shot, his face is covered with sores which investigators claim are possibly from exposure to radioactive materials. During a Circuit Court hearing, Hahn pleaded guilty to attempted larceny of a building. The court’s online docket said prosecutors recommended that he be sentenced to time served and enter an inpatient treatment facility. Under terms of the plea, the original charge of larceny of a building would be dismissed at sentencing, scheduled for October 4. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail for attempted larceny. Court records state that his sentence will be delayed by six months while Hahn undergoes treatment for radiation exposure.

[Xithras]

12. Hahn's story is a tragic case of misdirected intelligence.

A smart boy who lacked the role models needed to push him in the right direction, and parents interested enough in his success to help him find the resources he needed to channel his curiosity effectively.

The part of his story that always jumps out at me, though, is the current location of his reactor. His fission reactor core, which was hot enough so that the boards of the surrounding building were highly radioactive, was unceremoniously dumped into the trash and taken to the landfill. It was never found, and is still buried amid piles of old huggies and kitchen scraps.

[pokerfan]

14. ProTip for backyard nuclear experimenters

Stay away from fission and stick with fusion: http://www.fusor.net

[NickB79]

15. Yeah, it's not like fusion produces neutron radiation or anything dangerous. NT

[hunter]

16. Bell jar not in cage. No safety glasses. High voltages.

A fine old Recipe for Danger Pie

For extra spice, add X-rays and Neutrons!

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

17. Another teen built a reactor in his parent's basement

link