BBC Interviews Richard Handl: Man Arrested for Splitting Atoms in His Kitchen - Aug. 2011

"A Swedish man who tried to set up a nuclear reactor in his kitchen at home has admitted his plan was "crazy".

Richard Handl said he had just been "curious" and wanted to see if he would be able to split an atom.

Police were called to his flat in Angelholm in southern Sweden after he got in touch with Sweden's radiation authority to check if what he was doing was legal.

Mr Handl said he would stick to reading books about physics from now on.

Mr Handl, who is 31 and unemployed, told the BBC World Service he had bought the radioactive materials on the internet and from Germany.


He had been working on the experiment for around six months and posted regular updates on his blog.

He was questioned by police, who confiscated his nuclear materials as well as his computer.

"I had it under control, it was not so dangerous," he told the BBC.

But he added: "It was pretty stupid."

It is unclear what will happen next in the police inquiry. Mr Handl said he expected a fine."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14406766

his blog: richardsreactor.blogspot.com

Category:

Science & Technology

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[TheDustninja]

fuck the bbc

[Sheilaaliens]

@TheDustninja Pretty much any organization that has an acronym for a name can go to Hell.

[dreasim]

i think this story got attention because people heard :

1) radioactive materials bought from ebay (terrorist fears)

2) someone so smart they are doing nuclear physics at home, for fun. Seems impossible to most people so he must be nuts.

He may have been naive for posting what he was doing, but i dont think he was reckless nor crazy. Maybe a bit nuts for wanting to but, eh lol

[Sheilaaliens]

@dreasim its fascinating really, he is intelligent, but weird. i mean he was messy about it, like station-wise or perhaps it is just a messy process when done in your kitchen, lol... too bad he didnt video any of it! And the radiation authority made sure to say that his neighbors were never in any danger. Lullaby go back to sleep you are not allowed to know about radiation affects EVER - only that you are immune and nothing bad ever happens when radiation is involved EVER.... BACK to sleep lala

[ged8802]

Great comments everyone ! They`ve given me a laugh.

[Sheilaaliens]

@ged8802 heh

[skb0rzn]

In the USA we blow our selves up cooking meth. In Sweden they blow themselves up attempting physics... Something is very wrong with the USA education system.

[surplusdriller]

@Sheilaaliens hahahahahaha comment of the sentury hahahahahaha

[ArtificialLifef0rm]

@willreasonprevail Brottsbalken paragraf 13 kapitel, 3: Allmänfarlig ödeläggelse. "Man gör sig skyldig till allmänfarlig ödeläggelse om man åstadkommer explosion, översvämning, ras, skeppsbrott, flyg- eller tågolycka eller något annat som medför fara för liv eller hälsa eller omfattande förstörelse av egendom."

[Superfresh602]

sweden is a great country but the people talk too weird

[Superfresh602]

@skb0rzn at least they knew chemistry enough to make meth

[procommenter]

[Attribute this to the marvel & mission of synthetic hormones: Chastity sang in Cher's voice and now Chaz speaks in Sonny's voice.]

[procommenter]

Many factors determine the potentially harmful effects of DU including the source of radiation which may be external, that is, originating from outside a human body or internal which occurs when particles enter a human body by way of food, water, inhalation or a wound. (National Radiological Protection Board, June 2002).

[Vuze2143]

HEJ ALLA ATOM TOKIGA SVENSKAR ! ;P

[MsNamasteLight]

~ Thank Y()U ~ Shared ~

[StinkyGreenBud]

Give this man a lab coat and a job. Wasted talent.

[willreasonprevail]

Actually there is no law against what he was doing, only the intent to make an explosive of unlawful rpoportions is, the actual splitting of the atom is not, proven by the fact that no schools or industry that experiment in it have a licence for exactly that, they can get fucked, and i would sue them for stealing the computer, if they refused then i would split the fucker