ANGELHOLM – Richard Handl (above, right), 31, showed all the common sense, and 6.022•10^23 times the curiosity, of a college student when he tried to set up a small-scale nuclear reactor on his stove.
“I wanted to see if I would be able to split an atom,” he said. “I had it under control, it was not so dangerous.”
Handl, in an amazing demonstration of vacuity, thought to ask Swedish authorities regarding the legality of his experiment after beginning it. When he was arrested, police found radium, americium, and uranium in his apartment. Tests indicated radiation levels were low.
According to his blog, on which he detailed the progress of his experiment, Mr. Handl mixed radium, americium, and beryllium in 96% sulfuric acid.
“Part of me wonders why he was trying to do this, since it happens in nature all the time,” University of Nottingham uranium expert Steve Liddle told reporters. “What I do know is that it looks kinda dangerous.”
“It was pretty stupid,” Mr. Handl admitted.
“It’s all fine and well if you get a fantastic result,” Prof. Liddle said when asked about home chemistry. “But if you kill yourself in the process, well, I think you’ve defeated your own objectives.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14406766
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9VUrgbN2L8&feature=channel_video_title
http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2011/08/08/swede-attempts-to-build-homemade-nuclear-reactor/
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