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Swede Arrested For Building Nuclear Reactor

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the now-you're-playing-with-power dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A 31 year old Swedish male was arrested for trying to build a nuclear reactor in his apartment. He got hold of radioactive material thru mail-order purchases and from smoke detectors. Police raided his apartment after he had contacted the Swedish Radiation Authority (Strålsäkerhetsmyndigheten) to inquire if it was legal to construct a nuclear reactor at home."

3 of 410 comments (clear)

  1. Lesson learned by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Never ask for permission, but just do!

  2. Better to ask forgiveness than permission by barlevg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I love that the only reason he got busted is because he asked if it was okay...

    Seems like he should have either:

    (a) Asked BEFORE acquiring the material or

    (b) Not asked at all

  3. Re:Want details by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As an explosion risk, this guy ranks well below a kid with a pack of sparklers. However, I can see taking some precautions around anyone who has been playing with Am241-containing items in any atypical quantity...

    That stuff is a reasonably zesty alpha emitter, and modestly well absorbed if taken internally, which isn't a good mix. If some noob has been fucking around, it is hardly unreasonable to take the precautionary step of assuming that he's manage to produce a bunch of toxic and radioactive dust.