Required Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Slotin#Criticality_accident

I remember there was a show about this. Louis Slotin is experimenting with nuclear fission on a plutonium nuclear warhead core and accidentally activates it when his hand slips and drops the upper reflecting shell. Him and everyone in the room gets hit with a tremendous blast of hot radiation until Slotin throws the shell to the ground.

Not much was known about radiation poisoning at the time, or how to treat it. His body slowly disintegrates over the course of a week, and he dies from catastrophic organ failure.

It was the third time that particular warhead core was accidentally activated.

And that, kids, is why this type of core is called the Demon Core.

Blindga said:

I remember there was a show about this. Louis Slotin is experimenting with nuclear fission on a plutonium nuclear warhead core and accidentally activates it when his hand slips and drops the upper reflecting shell. Him and everyone in the room gets hit with a tremendous blast of hot radiation until Slotin throws the shell to the ground.

Not much was known about radiation poisoning at the time, or how to treat it. His body slowly disintegrates over the course of a week, and he dies from catastrophic organ failure.

It was the third time that particular warhead core was accidentally activated.

I remember seeing it too, though I don't remember the name of the show.

matteste said:

I remember seeing it too, though I don't remember the name of the show.

I think the last time this was on TV was Dark Matters: Twisted but True. It's the fourth episode of the second season if you are looking.

Never thought this is where it all began
Original pool?

Short article about it here:

https://www.military.com/history/tickling-the-dragons-tail.html