Swede Arrested For Building Nuclear Reactor

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Swede Arrested For Building Nuclear Reactor

Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday August 2, 2011 @12:51AM 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."

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Lesson learned by ArsenneLupin · 2011-08-02 00:54 · Score: 5, Insightful

Never ask for permission, but just do!
Better to ask forgiveness than permission by barlevg · 2011-08-02 00:55 · 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
What are you in for? by TehNoobTrumpet · 2011-08-02 00:56 · Score: 5, Funny

Prisoner 1: "I raped a bitch and killed her. What're you in for?"
Prisoner 2: "I built a nuclear power plant in my kitchen."
1. Re:What are you in for? by Amouth · 2011-08-02 01:41 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Arlo: "Littering." And they all moved away from me on the bench
  there, and the hairy eyeball and all kinds of mean nasty things, till I
  said, "And creating a nuisance." And they all came back, shook my hand,
  and we had a great time...
  
  --
  '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
2. Re:What are you in for? by Mikkeles · 2011-08-02 02:24 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Prisoner No. 6: "I am not a number!"
  
  --
  Great minds think alike; fools seldom differ.
headline != article content by rbrausse · 2011-08-02 00:59 · Score: 5, Informative

he was questioned by the police because he apparently violated some Swedish nuclear material laws.
the story in short:
- he invested $950
- he bought radioactive material and dismantled one domestic fire alarm
- he blogged about his expirements
- he asked the Swedish authorities if it is allowed to build a nuclear reactor
- some official accompanied by police offices visited his flat and found no radiation problem
- he was questioned at a police stations and was afterwards released
- all the nuclear stuff was confiscated
another attempt by An+ominous+Cow+art · 2011-08-02 01:01 · Score: 5, Informative

This kid tried (badly, apparently) to do the same in the US a while back. I lived only a couple of streets over, but had left the area a dozen years before his attempt. I think I delivered newspapers to his house.
Re:Want details by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · 2011-08-02 02:42 · 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.
Re:Being arrested is no big deal... being CHARGED by SEWilco · 2011-08-02 02:47 · Score: 5, Funny

What's the big deal about being "arrested"? Police (and others) use their power of arrest all the time. The big story will be if he is charged with something.
He won't get a charge. Neutrons don't carry a charge.