February 18, 2015 at 23:31Dangerous radioactive game on display at the museum
The exhibition of the National Museum of Ulster in Northern Ireland, there was one of the most dangerous children's games - a set for the young physicist Gilbert Atomic Energy Lab. The toy, which went on sale in 1951 in the wake of interest in atomic fission, contained uranium-238 isotope samples, an electroscope, a spintariscope, a Wilson chamber, a Geiger counter, and a physics textbook. Then the pleasure of feeling like a young scientist was not cheap - $ 50, which roughly corresponds to today's $ 400.
The toy lab was sold in the United States until 1952 and was manufactured by AC Gilbert Company. Complete with it was the book “Prospecting for Uranium” - a solid publication issued by the Geological Survey and the US Nuclear Energy Commission (Lieutenant General Leslie Groves also participated in its writing, military leader of the Manhattan Project). In total, with the help of the “young physicist” kit, 150 different experiments could be carried out.
It is interesting that the fact of the radioactivity of uranium-238 isotopes was known to the creators, but its effect on human health, apparently, was either not studied, or it was not given due attention. The instructions for the replacement of radioactive materials (Pb-210, Ru-106, Zn-65) simply indicated that over time they lose their properties and in order to get new ones, it was necessary to use the services of mail:
It is not clear why the toy sales ceased, but if If any talented child could discover new sources of uranium, then he would expect a reward from the government in the amount of $ 10,000.
