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If a scientist wanted to commit suicide, couldn’t he trigger the criticality event just to see what it’s like and then promptly kill himself off afterward befor

by xwdv 4y ago

If a scientist wanted to commit suicide, couldn’t he trigger the criticality event just to see what it’s like and then promptly kill himself off afterward before radiation effects set in? Or is the agony instant?

wahern 4y ago
By all the accounts I've read, there should be some lag time sufficient to commit suicide, unless you're knocked out (they usually wake before the worst of it, though not always), and excepting temperature burns. But somewhat like quantum suicide, it may be the type of experiment where even a tiny chance of the corner case is still a complete turn-off. Your insides slowly liquifying seems to be one of the worst ways--possibly the worst way--to meet your end. EDIT: In retrospect, if you're the Los Alamos version of the Hold-my-beer type--judging by the article and especially the photo, such people apparently exist--I suppose it might not be a complete turn-off. (I'm imagining the guy handing his beer and a bullet to his buddy, instructing to give him one or the other depending on the outcome.)
- gambiting 4y ago
  Even people who have received 100x the lethal dose don't die instantly - it's an agonizing death either way. If you're concious and know you've going to die then yeah, I think killing yourself, or at least being put into an irreversible coma is the only way to handle this. Otherwise it's pure agony for hours/days/weeks.
NegativeK 4y ago
While radiation isn't a poison, in this case it's similar enough: the higher the dose, the more likely (or faster) the death. But you might raise some red flags if your workplace notices you doing calculations to calculate criticality experiments next to calculations of human radiation dose levels and lethality.
- kikokikokiko 4y ago
  In this specific case, I highly doubt there were any calculations involved. The fact that it seems there were many people involved in setting up this stupid photo makes me believe even less in the future of humanity. I mean, it's Homer Simpson levels of nuclear handling irresponsibility.
Tangurena2 4y ago
One of the things mentioned was how horribly painful Harry Daghlian's death was. There are much quicker and less painful ways to go. No one gets to play with that much radioactive stuff without all sorts of safety briefings. If you were that depressed then your co-workers would notice and would turn you in.

by xwdv 4y ago

wahern 4y ago

By all the accounts I've read, there should be some lag time sufficient to commit suicide, unless you're knocked out (they usually wake before the worst of it, though not always), and excepting temperature burns. But somewhat like quantum suicide, it may be the type of experiment where even a tiny chance of the corner case is still a complete turn-off. Your insides slowly liquifying seems to be one of the worst ways--possibly the worst way--to meet your end. EDIT: In retrospect, if you're the Los Alamos version of the Hold-my-beer type--judging by the article and especially the photo, such people apparently exist--I suppose it might not be a complete turn-off. (I'm imagining the guy handing his beer and a bullet to his buddy, instructing to give him one or the other depending on the outcome.)

gambiting 4y ago
Even people who have received 100x the lethal dose don't die instantly - it's an agonizing death either way. If you're concious and know you've going to die then yeah, I think killing yourself, or at least being put into an irreversible coma is the only way to handle this. Otherwise it's pure agony for hours/days/weeks.

NegativeK 4y ago

While radiation isn't a poison, in this case it's similar enough: the higher the dose, the more likely (or faster) the death. But you might raise some red flags if your workplace notices you doing calculations to calculate criticality experiments next to calculations of human radiation dose levels and lethality.

kikokikokiko 4y ago
In this specific case, I highly doubt there were any calculations involved. The fact that it seems there were many people involved in setting up this stupid photo makes me believe even less in the future of humanity. I mean, it's Homer Simpson levels of nuclear handling irresponsibility.

Tangurena2 4y ago

One of the things mentioned was how horribly painful Harry Daghlian's death was. There are much quicker and less painful ways to go. No one gets to play with that much radioactive stuff without all sorts of safety briefings. If you were that depressed then your co-workers would notice and would turn you in.