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Is the problem that plutonium doesn't look particularly scary on its own? It's just a chunk of gray metal. It's not fuming, it's not warm (I assume), it's not g
by nerdponx 3y ago
Is the problem that plutonium doesn't look particularly scary on its own? It's just a chunk of gray metal. It's not fuming, it's not warm (I assume), it's not glowing, it's not particularly ugly, it's not a bright color. Very few people have experienced radiation poisoning and have a visceral understanding of the horror involved. None of our self-preservation instincts understand the danger.
- hilbert42 3y agoYour question implies I've firsthand experience working with the stuff but that isn't so. It's true I've worked in the nuclear industry and keeping the stuff safe and out of harm's way was in my job description but I wasn't alone, many hundreds of us were (and are) involved in doing so. Luckily there were people between me and those who worked with the stuff and I'm very happy about that. Still, you're right it's a silvery gray metal much like many others that oxidizes quickly in air to give it that dullish look. If you were to pick it up you'd notice it's very dense. It's marginally heavier than gold by about 0.5g/cc^3 at about 19.8g/cc^3. That it looks so boring could easily generate complacency when handling it. Edit: the 238 isotope is much more radioactive than 239, so much so it'd be hot to touch. But you'd be mad to do so.
- HPsquared 3y agoIt's probably a bit like handling electric wiring. It doesn't look dangerous, until you short the terminals together or touch a high voltage contact.
- hilbert42 3y agoA pretty good analogy.
- SoftTalker 3y agoOr watch some YouTube videos about arc-flash.
- cyberax 3y agoWeapons grade plutonium is slightly warm to touch.