Two Brain Cells :: Los Alamos screwdriver criticality experiment

What happens when you hold apart two halves of a critical mass of plutonium with a screwdriver — and the screwdriver slips? A scary tale from Los Alamos.

One comment on “Los Alamos screwdriver criticality experiment”

wild electrons

Eschewing saftey for whatever reason is completely idiotic, especially when such safety is easily set up. (In this case all it would have taken would have been to use the plastic spacers developed after a similarly fatal incident a few months earlier.)
There are plenty of other occasions in scientific research where dangerous situations in labs and so forth are left unchallenged simply because “those who are here know how to handle the situation”.
Unfortunately in our society it’s far easier to remain a silent onlooker than to flag any questionable actions or situations from superiors or other collegues.
Interesting article, though :)

June 21st, 2006 9:43 am

Post a comment

Categories