Boy Scout builds nuclear reactor in backyard and exposes 40,000 locals to radiation

Smoke detectors and clocks

David had also discovered that small amounts of radioactive material could be found in everyday objects. For example, he extracted the substances from smoke detectors, old luminous clocks and camping lanterns. In small quantities, these substances don’t pose a very big dangerous, but the amount David collected would have startled most experts.

For other radioactive elements, David didn’t have to be very resourceful or cunning. For example, he “just” placed an order for the extremely dangerous radioactive substance uranium in Czechoslovakia and asked the local hospital for some barium sulphate. It didn’t take long before he had both substances in his laboratory.

Now that he had all the materials, he could get to work. But whether this would turn out to be a good decision…