   Man wants cyclotron for home
  Looks like this guy got a cyclotron donated to him from Johns Hopkins, but his neighbours don't want him to set it up because it's "nuclear".While it theoretically does pose a threat if it's not adequately shielded, I'm pretty sure that an appropriate check-up period, etc would be fine. How many other people can say they have a freaking cyclotron in their back yard?I do so hate the common man's fear for all things nuclear. If we'd just live with nuclear power plants we'd be done with coal, I bet.   
Quote:Original post by Ravuya[...]If we'd just live with nuclear power plants we'd be done with coal, I bet.Sure, but we'd also be zillions more and ten times as far in debt, though perhaps in 30 years it might have paid for itself.Personally, I'm much more comfortable with a commercial enterprise having such a thing than any kind of non-profit group, because IME non-profit groups aren't run nearly as well (especially governments). If "his engineering firm" is, in fact, a commercial enterprise, then I say let them have it. Companies generally don't like lose money and it seems likely that the lawsuits would be more costly than 'regular checkups' every year or five.Also, why link to slashdot when the actual information is on Wired News?Slashdot is like tinyurl, except that it doesn't make urls tiny and the redirect isn't automatic.Hrmm, that is sig material right there:   ;  Its hard to say what should be done in cases like this. I honestly don't know whether I would believe the "neighbors" or the nameless "expert." The public hearing will be a bunch of people just like me who know next to nothing about it, listening to people they don't know they can trust argue over the dangers. And in the end it'll most likely just be decided on baseless biases of the people in the community.   ;  I'm proud to be attending the school who gave it to him.   ;Quote:Original post by RavuyaLooks like this guy got a cyclotron donated to him from Johns Hopkins, but his neighbours don't want him to set it up because it's "nuclear".While it theoretically does pose a threat if it's not adequately shielded, I'm pretty sure that an appropriate check-up period, etc would be fine. How many other people can say they have a freaking cyclotron in their back yard?I do so hate the common man's fear for all things nuclear. If we'd just live with nuclear power plants we'd be done with coal, I bet.Errr. Weird needs :PI believe that giving/selling a cyclotron to an individual is not a good idea. If the individual cannot pay for the check up, what will happen? Who will control the use of the cyclotron? If the donator has really a lot of money to waste, I suggest him to donate this money to another university in order for this university to buy and install the said cyclotron (and to take care of it). While not perfectly safe, I think it's still a better solution (I have another one: he can give his money to me. I enjoy money).Regards,   ;  If somebody want to nuke/electrocute himself, it's 100% okay IMO. Small cyclotron can't do harm at significant distance, and even moreso if it is in individual house in Alaska, where walls are relatively thick and everything. If he also have tomograph, then it'll be useful to locals, too.There's lot of dangerous stuff in the households, for example natural gas (that is used there for cooking). In urban area your neighbours is separated from you with thin wall, so if your neighbour gets drunk, leaves gas on, and gas explodes, part of building can collapse and kill few innocent people. Way more dangerous, isn't it?Or take for example gun accidents, that do really kill significant number of people. It would make sense to regulate cyclotrons if them would really kill people, but them don't(but of course he should better install his own generator because it makes sense to limit maximal amount of power individual can get from grid.)[Edited by - Dmytry on December 5, 2005 1:16:15 PM];  I built a Tokamak out of toothpicks once.It didn't really work.   ;  I would love to see his power bill.   ;  Just remember, non-tech savvy people get really scared when you mention words like "cyclotron" or "hydrogen hydroxide".I'm sure everyone remembers the widespread fear of "dihydrogen monoxide".   