Radioactive Boyscout: Real-Life Story of a Teenager's Quest for Nuclear Fusion

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the real-life story of a teenager, David Hahn, who attempted to build a nuclear reactor in his mother's shed, drawing attention to the risks and implications of his actions. Participants explore the technical aspects of his project, the ethical considerations of his experiments, and the public safety concerns that arose from his handling of radioactive materials.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express amazement at how far Hahn got with limited knowledge and resources, while others criticize his lack of understanding of nuclear physics and safety protocols.
  • Dr. Gregory Greenman argues that Hahn's approach was fundamentally flawed, citing his misunderstanding of the principles of nuclear reactors and the nature of radioactive materials.
  • Concerns are raised about the dangers posed by Hahn's actions, particularly regarding the handling of Am-241 from smoke detectors, with some participants emphasizing the risks of ingestion and exposure to alpha radiation.
  • Some participants highlight the ethical implications of Hahn's actions, suggesting that knowingly risking the safety of others is unacceptable, despite any perceived drive or ambition.
  • There is a discussion about the precautions taken by authorities and the public's reaction to Hahn's activities, with some questioning the extent of the threat posed by his makeshift reactor.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on the merits of Hahn's actions and the level of risk involved. While some express admiration for his ambition, others strongly criticize his lack of knowledge and the potential dangers he posed to himself and the community.

Contextual Notes

Limitations in understanding the technical aspects of nuclear physics and the implications of handling radioactive materials are evident in the discussion. Participants reference various sources and personal experiences to support their claims, but no consensus is reached on the appropriateness of Hahn's actions or the safety measures that should have been in place.

  • #31
TOKAMAK said:
Just a quick question if I may: So would spallation be the appropriate term for the fissioning of the U238 tamper on a thermonuclear warhead? The U238 in the tamper fissions from the fast neutrons, but thermal neutrons won't have any effect (other than transmuting the uranium into neptonium, which will quickly decay to Pu239), correct?

TOKAMAK,

As tehfrr stated, fissioning of U238 is not spallation - it is a fission reaction.

Or more specifically, it is a "threshold fission reaction".

An isotope like U-235 is said to be "fissile" - because it will fission with
low energy neutrons - that is the neutron need not bring with it any added
kinetic energy. Just falling into the nuclear potential well of a U-235
nucleus is enough to fission U-235.

An isotope like U-238 is said to be "fissionable". That is it will fission,
but only if the neutron has a kinetic energy above a certain threshold
value; which in the case of U-238 is about 1 MeV. If you have a lot of
high energy neutrons running around, U-238 will fission, and it is called
"fission" - same mechanism as U-235 - but just needs a little more energy.

Dr. Gregory Greenman
Physicist
 
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  • #32
Oh okay, I think I get it now. Thanks for the quick responses.
 

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