That guy who made his own reactor

  • Thread starter bill nye scienceguy!
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Reactor
In summary, the conversation discusses the use of tin foil and fissile material from 1950s glow in the dark products and whether or not a boy scout was able to successfully create a nuclear reactor. The conversation also touches on a book and TV documentary related to the topic and questions the reason behind Xe135's ability to capture neutrons.
  • #1
bill nye scienceguy!
127
0
using tin foil and fissile material from 1950s glow in the dark stuff. does anyone have a link/ know anything about this? i vaguely remember reading about it a while back but maybe i just dreamt it or something...?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
I read the book, here it is:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/037550351X/?tag=pfamazon01-20

If you read it carefully, you will find that all the actual evidence that he got the reactor to run is due to the boy scout himself. My guess on this is that nothing significant actually happened, but that the author of the book was a little too easily convinced.
 
  • #3
yeah, i was a bit sceptical about how he could have made it work when i thought about it. I'm glad i didnt just make the whole thing up though.
 
  • #4
Anybody knows why Xe135 captures neutrons at such huge cross section at thermal energies? Is it something related with the nuclear structure of the final nucleus Xe136?
Thanks
 
  • #5
There also exists a tv documentary:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0378468/

Quite interesting. If there really was in increase of the thorium activity, it must be attributed to the growing amounts of radioactive thorium progeny after Hahn had isolated the material from lantern mantles.
 

Related to That guy who made his own reactor

What is a reactor and what did the guy make?

A reactor is a device that creates and controls a nuclear reaction. The guy in question created a homemade nuclear reactor in his backyard.

Is it legal to create your own reactor?

No, it is highly illegal to create a homemade nuclear reactor without proper authorization and safety measures in place. It poses a significant risk to public safety and the environment.

How did the guy acquire the materials and knowledge to build a reactor?

The guy most likely acquired the materials and knowledge through illegal means, such as purchasing restricted materials or obtaining information from the black market. Building a nuclear reactor requires extensive knowledge and resources that are closely monitored and regulated by government agencies.

Did the guy's reactor actually work?

It is unclear if the guy's reactor actually worked as there is limited information available about the specific case. However, it is highly unlikely that a homemade reactor would be able to sustain a nuclear reaction without proper equipment and expertise.

What are the potential dangers and consequences of building a homemade reactor?

The potential dangers and consequences of building a homemade reactor include exposure to harmful radiation, the risk of a nuclear meltdown or explosion, and severe legal repercussions. It also poses a significant threat to public safety and the environment.

Similar threads

Replies
10
Views
2K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
22
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
738
  • New Member Introductions
Replies
2
Views
59
Replies
15
Views
2K
  • Nuclear Engineering
Replies
25
Views
5K
  • Nuclear Engineering
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • Art, Music, History, and Linguistics
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Art, Music, History, and Linguistics
Replies
1
Views
857
Replies
4
Views
2K
Back
Top