Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site amdahl.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!unisoft!mtxinu!rtech!amdahl!ems 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 Lines: 26 > > 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)