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From: ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems)
Newsgroups: net.bizarre
Subject: Re: Re: plutonium
Message-ID: <1880@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Aug-85 17:12:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: amdahl.1880
Posted: Tue Aug  6 17:12:36 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 11-Aug-85 05:09:45 EDT
References: <541@bentley.UUCP> <499@mit-vax.UUCP> <217@kitty.UUCP>
Organization: Circle C Shellfish Ranch, Shores-of-the-Pacific, Ca
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> > Nothing, probably. Plutonium is VERY VERY VERY poisonous, but not
> > particularly explosive (the amount needed to make a bomb is not easily
> > transported).
> 
> This is pure bull. Have you any idea how big the New York City water
> supply IS? The evidence is, in fact, that the threat was carried out.
> At least the radioactivity of the water increased slightly after the
> threat was made. ...
> 
> And to make a bomb all you need is a couple times critical mass. That can
> be carried in a briefcase. The whole bomb can be fit into a backpack. In
> fact the army has a low-weild backpack bomb.

Strange but true:  The amount of plutonium needed to make a
bomb is a lump about the size of a baseball.  Heavy though.
The military has nuclear weapons that can be fired from small
(a few inch diameter bore ) cannons.  You know, like on
tanks.  The only problem with transportation is that the stuff
really likes to burn.  It will spontaneously combust in air;
producing plutonium oxide fumes that ARE real toxic.
-- 

E. Michael Smith  ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems

This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything. (Including but
not limited to: typos, spelling, diction, logic, and nuclear war)