A nuclear chemist was once recorded consuming a substance he claimed was uranium, to demonstrate its supposed harmlessness.
The nuclear industry has been a subject of intense discussion, particularly after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 that had worldwide ramifications.
Prior to these events, Galen Winsor, a nuclear chemist, embarked on a tour across the Northwest United States for the conservative John Birch Society. During his tour, he shared his views on what he perceived as excessive regulation of the nuclear industry.
Winsor’s fascination with nuclear topics began in the 1950s while he was involved in managing and processing plutonium extraction at the Hanford nuclear site in Washington.
His responsibilities included measuring and controlling nuclear fuel inventory and storage. He later traveled extensively across the US, participated in radio discussions, and produced numerous videos to address what he saw as ‘misunderstandings’ about nuclear radiation.
In 1985, Winsor escalated his efforts to validate his claims by appearing on video with a bottle he claimed contained radioactive uranium oxide.
The name alone suggests a highly hazardous material, yet Winsor chose to proceed with his demonstration.
“The state of Washington sent two of its Gestapo agents over to my home to confiscate my uranium samples,” he mentioned in a video that has since been uploaded to platforms like YouTube and Twitter.
In a rather shocking move, Winsor consumes the substance, astonishing those present at the lecture.
“What I’ve just done makes me high level nuclear waste,” he commented, shortly after using a Geiger counter on his tongue.
“According to federal regulations, they will have to bury me 3,000 feet in Carlsbad, N.M.”
Winsor further stated: “I do this in front of audiences, and they go wild.”
Winsor passed away at the age of 82 in 2008, about 20 years post-consumption of the uranium oxide. His obituary did not specify the cause of his death.
The video continues to resurface online, sparking various reactions.
“Galen is an absolute legend. If all of the engineers and scientists in society were like him, we’d be in a much better state,” a YouTube commenter remarked.
Another noted: “He lived until 82 which shows how it really is not dangerous in small portions.”
It is crucial to remember, attempting such a demonstration at home is highly discouraged, and it remains uncertain if the substance Winsor ingested was genuinely uranium.
According to How Stuff Works, ingesting 25 milligrams of uranium can severely damage kidneys, while 50 milligrams could potentially be fatal.