Kyrgyz hunt for radioactive matter

[skids]

Ah, for the halcyon days when radiation poisoning was just an abstract concept to those with the radioactive materials and will to use them...

The Kyrgyz authorities have confirmed that in the last 12 months, they have secured or disposed of a staggering 1,000 items of known radioactive material, judged to be vulnerable to theft or terrorism, acting with American help.

They still have 500 items left to deal with.

But it is the material which is still missing that presents a greater challenge.

<...>

The largest missing radioactive sources are Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs), which traditionally powered mountain top radio transmitters or remote lighthouses.

...saw a news report on these RTEG's once. Usually they turn up after some peasants using them as a winter heat source die horribly and authorities are contacted. "Hey this metal box stays hot! Hey I don't feel so good! Hey what are all these blisters?" The main terrorism concern with them is dirty bombs, not nukes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4315928.stm

[tatertop]

1. Death by RTEG is a horrible way to go... I think

[dcfirefighter]

2. The soviets had an a$$load of them

Totally unaccounted for, and filled with Sr-90. Perfect for making dirty bombs (RDDs), it's already powdered, and is a high energy beta emitter.

As part of my training, we saw a video of 2 'woodcutters' (aka scavengers/smugglers) who had carried some containers of Sr-90 from a RTG that powered a navigational beacon somewhere in the former USSR. Pretty nasty way to go.

But, the cat's already out of the bag, and there's nothing we can do but be vigilant, ready, and try to be good neighbors. This is one of the main reasons I'm not too worried about commercial nuclear power in the US, nor am I too worried about ballistic nukes. It's far far easier to hit us with a dirty bomb than it is with a missle - and there's no launch signature, no way to easily retaliate.

[Syncronaut Seven]

3. Who needs a launch signature

It was Iran/Iraq/Syria/Venezuela. Come on man, get with the plan.

[dcfirefighter]

4. Sorry, forgot. eom.

[Syncronaut Seven]

5. And here I was worried about radium paint, and tinfoil balls.

The radioactive boy scout.

http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/radscout.html

[tatertop]

6. That's quite a story.

[NNadir]

7. Now that is funny.

This kid belongs to another era of can do scientific creativity straight of of the 1950's.

He was basically reproducing some important experiments from the 1920's and 1930's. I suspect that while he did all the right things, he really didn't cause that much harm to himself or others.

It reminds me of Oliver Sack's Uncle Tungsten which ruminates on how much we quash the free scientific inquiry of children in these times. The adults in this story are actually quite a bit less bright than the kid.

What a shame that this boy is now in the Navy. What a waste of a mind.