
Capacitor but no 'nuclear reactor' found so far in Northwest side man’s garage - danso
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/12/05/emergency-crews-investigating-report-possible-small-nuclear-reactor-ohio-garage/2625141001/
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t34543
> Depending on the evaluation and further investigation, it is possible the
> man will be criminally charged with inducing a panic, Martin said.

That’s bullshit. The panic was caused by the 911 operator being cautious,
taking no chance in case it was something harmful.

The guy burned himself and needed medical assistance.

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dmatech
This whole reaction deeply saddens me. People should be encouraged to
experiment, make their own stuff, and tinker. People are so easily scared
these days of anything they don't understand.

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zaroth
Assuming every third word in this article is probably incorrect, I would love
to hear the actual 911 recording.

Yeah, it’s possible the guy is clinically insane, but it seems more likely to
me he called in trying to explain he got a bad electrical burn and was
terribly misunderstood by the operator.

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lonelappde
Why is it more likely that the operator heard a bunch of arcane terms that
weren't actually said?

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mlyle
A small hobby cyclotron that produces some alpha radiation is that uncommon of
a project, and would be consistent with many words he said ("particle
accelerator" and "alpha waves").

I mean, probably a crackpot, but it's not impossible that someone who got some
electrical burns from a slightly exotic experiment gave 911 too much
information and made them freak out.

~~~
blablabla123
Basically every CRT tube is a particle accelerator for electrons. Given that
these run at 10 kV, of course burns can happen (and states of confusion)...

~~~
to11mtm
I was originally going to reply and also point out Microwaves as well, but
while double checking that my memory served me correct, I discovered that 3d
metal printing can be a use for electron guns as well [1]. Heck that can
possibly involve Vacuums and metal powder as well... good times!

[1] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron-
beam_additive_manufac...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron-
beam_additive_manufacturing)

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cbanek
> "Only one injury was reported: a firefighter in a hazmat suit was injured
> when he unepectedly came off a curb and twisted his ankle"

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lostlogin
This seems somewhat less impressive that the story that immediately came to
mind. David Hahn built very radioactive neutron source whilst trying to make a
breeder reactor as a teenager in the ‘70s.
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hahn](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hahn)

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mantap
This is what happens when a country has a febrile mixture of money and
paranoia. Crackpot scientist phones up and starts spouting random
technobabble, neighborhood summarily evacuated while the state verifies that
yes he is indeed a crackpot. If this guy had claimed to be Bashar Al-Assad
would they have sent police to arrest him for war crimes?

~~~
jacobwilliamroy
No. They would pay to fly him back to Syria, then send in Navy SEALs to
assassinate him 10 years later.

The U.S. does not recognize international law. The country would look a lot
different if it did. Shortly after 9/11 the Taliban had captured Osama Bin
Laden, however Bush let Bin Laden slip through because the Taliban wanted to
try him at the Hague.

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peterwwillis
For more of these stories, head to fark.com

