Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!lsuc!watmath!clyde!caip!andromeda!argus!ken From: ken@argus.UUCP (Kenneth Ng) Newsgroups: net.politics,net.sci Subject: Re: Nuclear power and risk Message-ID: <370@argus.UUCP> Date: Mon, 21-Jul-86 21:20:07 EDT Article-I.D.: argus.370 Posted: Mon Jul 21 21:20:07 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 22-Jul-86 18:00:55 EDT References: <445@meccts.UUCP> <522@gargoyle.UUCP> <452@meccts.UUCP> Organization: NJ Inst of Tech., Newark NJ Lines: 29 Xref: lsuc net.politics:6909 net.sci:1055 In article <452@meccts.UUCP>, mvs@meccts.UUCP (Michael V. Stein) writes: > >It is no secret that nuclear warheads can be made from > >*reactor-grade* plutonium, using published information. > > This is simply wrong. By using the nuclear technology of the > US military the Carter administration was able to get a Pu > 240 device to explode. But the bomb also had to be called a > "nuclear device" since it lacked the transportability of a bomb. > So yes, it might be possible. It also is about 100 times harder > then almost any other option open to a terrorist. I would be happy if > terrorists wasted their time trying this. Are you sure it wasn't plutonium 239, and not plutonium 240? -- Kenneth Ng: Post office: NJIT - CCCC, Newark New Jersey 07102 uucp(for a while) ihnp4!allegra!bellcore!argus!ken soon uucp:ken@argus.cccc.njit.edu bitnet(prefered) ken@njitcccc.bitnet or ken@orion.bitnet soon bitnet: ken@orion.cccc.njit.edu (We are VERY slowly moving to RFC 920, kicking and screaming) Spock: "Captain, you are an excellent Starship Captain, but as a taxi driver, you need much to be desired." Savaak: "He's so....human" Spock: "No one is perfect"