Did North Korea Conduct Secret Nuclear Tests?

gbrumfiel writes "In May of 2010, North Korea made the bizarre claim that it had achieved nuclear fusion. Many, many commentators (including faithful Slashdot readers) mocked the dear leader for his outlandish boast, but could there have been a kernel of truth in the claim? Apparently some odd radioactivity was spotted by detectors surrounding the North just days after the announcement. Now, a new analysis by a Swedish scientist suggests that the radiation may have leaked from covert experiments into boosting fission warheads. The evidence is tentative at best, and many are skeptical, but it does seem that something odd was up on the Korean peninsula that spring."

Comments

Not a bizarre claim.

[tragedy]

Nuclear fusion is easy. Pretty much anyone can build a Farnsworth Fusor and there are all sorts of other ways to achieve fusion. Achieving net positive fusion isn't even that difficult for a country that already has fission-based atomic bombs. The problem is achieving net positive fusion that is stable, sustainable, and controlled.

The question asked by the story title: "did North Korea conduct secret nuclear tests?" has a simple answer. Yes. Of course they conducted secret nuclear tests. It's already public knowledge that they have a nuclear program. They also, like every nuclear power, keep the details hush hush. Therefore, secret nuclear tests.

Re:Fusion....right

[Nidi62]

just saying that particular fact of no Night-time luminosity could be just as well a sign of a well adjusted society with happy members with regular sleep schedules and lack of wasted lamp post lights, etc, as a lot of Night-time luminosity could be taken as a sign of factory mills with rotating shifts, slave wages, where the beds are never cold, and a disruption of family and social life: a society on the way to spiritual death.

It's also a sign of a country that has bakeries that can have fresh bread ready for breakfast in the morning to feed the citizens, newspapers being printed and delivered to inform the citizens, as well as deliveries of fresh produce and manufactured goods that get consumed at a high rate by a citizenry with regular healthy diets and disposable income. But you're right; since North Korea has no night-time luminosity, I guess it is safe to assume that North Korea has neither of these things as well. Tell me, are they still making all of you people in Pyongyang mourn over "Dear Leader"'s death?