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British Chicken-Warmed Nuke

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the chickens-is-there-anything-they're-not-good-for? dept.

darrellberry writes "During the Cold War, British researchers developed a nuclear landmine, kept operational during cold conditions by packing it full of live chickens. This story has appeared in a few UK media channels this morning. Probably an April Fools', but who knows? The bomb is supposedly on display at the National Archives in Kew, so if you live in London you can go and see for yourselves..." Also a BBC story and an older New Scientist blurb.

2 of 195 comments (clear)

  1. Not a prank by Space+cowboy · · Score: 5, Informative


    The BBC are running a separate 'this is true, honest' story, detailing other unlikely stories alongside... I like the fact that one of our railways cost more than a trip to the moon.

    Only in the UK...

    Simon

    --
    Physicists get Hadrons!
  2. Partly a Hoax, partly true! by timbos · · Score: 5, Informative
    Blue Peacock does/did exist. I have the dubious privilege of having touched the only remaining example, housed in the museum collection at AWE. The other is (and I quote the curator here) `lost'!

    It was a `landmine' designed to be set on a timer to ambush the Soviets as they advanced across Europe. It was based on the Blue Danube device that was the UK's first air-delivered nuclear weapon (essentially, they removed the fins).

    The device had up to an 8-day timer, but could also be set off locally --- either by booby trap, incase it was discovered, or a trigger. Amusingly there was a 10 second delay when you operated the trigger, just time to duck and cover :o) The chickens, though? That's clearly a hoax. Apart from anything else, the device was air and water tight.