Our hero earned himself a boy scout merit badge in atomic energy (did you know that was even possible?) at the precocious age of 14. But this wasn't enough for him.

Now aged 15, David obtained americium from smoke detectors,thorium from gas lanterns, and lithium from batteries. He successfully built a neutron gun, and purified his thorium to 9000 times the level found in nature, well over the threshold that requires official licensing. But it still wasn't good enough. His gun wasn't strong enough to transform the thorium into uranium.

You have to give him credit for trying. Our frustrated Einstein obtained radium from old paint, beryllium from a school science lab, and pitchblende (uranium ore)from who knows where. At the grand old age of 17, he was ready to build a fully fledged nuclear reactor. He mixed his radium and americium with beryllium and aluminium, all wrapped in aluminium foil to produce a make-shift reactor core. He surrounded his core with more foil-wrapped packages, all held together with duct tape. Yes, he built himself a nuclear reactor out of kitchen foil and duct tape!

At this point he apparently began to think that what he was doing might be dangerous. (Ya don't say?) He disassembled his reactor, and hid parts in his house, his garden shed, and his car. Yes, he thought that driving around with a home-made radioactive parcel in the back of the car was a good idea!

Our would-be Darwin candidate was saved from a full award when some unrelated suspicious behaviour caused police to search his car. They found a toolbox containing foil-wrapped cubes of mysterious grey powder, strange metal objects, and mercury switches. At this point Hahn informed them that it was radioactive.

The police triggered the Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan. Workers in full containment suits took away 39 barrels (!) of radioactive debris.

And David's response to all this? "I don't believe I took more than five years off my life." He is still free to try again for a Darwin award. As indeed he did in 2007, now aged 31. He was jailed for stealing smoke detectors (which, remember, contain Americium). Court records said his sentence would be delayed for six months while he received treatment for radiation exposure.

Keep it up, Dave! Third time might be lucky. But in the meantime, you can still get an honourable mention.

Submitted on 04/01/2012

Submitted by: Rowan
Reference: http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/radscout.html , http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299362994

Copyright © 2012 DarwinAwards.com

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
This guy even has a Wikipedia entry, and according to it: "EPA scientists believe that Hahn may have exceeded the lifetime dosage for thorium exposure, but he refused their recommendation that he be examined..." Given not only his antics but his refusal to be treated I fully expect we'll be hearing about him again. Thanks, Rowan!

Candi said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
Wait.... he's been through all that when he was 17, and he's at it *again*!?!?! *thunk* Moron! Thanks Rowan!

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