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Teen Builds Nuclear Bomb Detector

Posted by timothy on from the and-for-my-next-trick dept.

DaneM writes "An enterprising teenage boy named Taylor Wilson, 17, has created a homemade, hand-held nuclear bomb detector. It utilizes a small fusion reactor that he made when he was 14, and detects nuclear materials by shooting neutrons at closed containers and exciting any nuclear materials inside — which, in turn, causes more radiation to be produced, and is detected by the device. This may provide a simpler, more effective alternative to searching containers visually, one-at-a-time. No information is given about how safe such a practice is. Taylor also has some choice things to say about how science is, in fact, very cool."

6 of 210 comments (clear)

  1. A small fusion reactor by starfishsystems · · Score: 4, Funny

    Must be nice to have your own portable fusion reactor.

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    Parity: What to do when the weekend comes.
    1. Re:A small fusion reactor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Next thing you know he'll be busting ghosts.

  2. A fusion reactor? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    lol?!

  3. Get with it people ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    He used his *time machine* to make the nuclear fission reactor. Geez, some people are so cynical !

  4. Re:Did he test it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, it didn't detect any bombs, but there weren't any, so it has a 100% chance of getting the answer right when there are no bombs around.

  5. Re:How very sad by srussia · · Score: 4, Funny

    This boy is clearly a genius with unlimited potential. How extraordinarily sad that he is applying all that potential to something as fucking idiotic as counter-terrorism.

    Well, there's not much potential use for a fusor in investment banking, so I guess counter-terrorism is where the money is.

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    Set your phasers on "funky"!