Atomic bomb book is recalled

From the Boston Globe: A publisher withdrew 'Pandora's Keepers: Nine Men and the Atomic Bomb'' from bookstores yesterday after four historians contended that it contained at least 30 passages that are similar, or in some cases identical, to writing in their own works.

Thanks to an atomicarchive.com fan who alerted us to this news item.

Iran- IAEA Equipment in Place at Natanz Uranium Enrichment Facility

The International Atomic Energy Agency has installed monitoring equipment at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in Iran, Agence France-Presse reported yesterday. (see nti.org)

In related news, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Iranian leaders had just assured him Tehran has no plans to develop nuclear weapons and would soon sign a UN protocol on closer inspections of its atomic program.

Dirty Bomb Report

Thousands of devices containing radioactive material have been lost or stolen worldwide.

A report by the General Accounting Office (GAO) says missing materials originally used in medicine, industry and research could be used to make crude but deadly "dirty bombs".

The report can be found here.

A good web site on dirty bombs is the companion site for NOVA's episode on dirty bombs.

We also have a summary of various dirty bomb sources.

Radioactive 'dirty bomb' material seized in Thailand

Authorities in Thailand, acting on information from U.S. investigators, seized a large amount of radioactive material from a Thai man, breaking up a plot to sell it to terrorists.

U.S. officials said the seized material - which Thai authorities said was cesium-137, a radioactive byproduct of nuclear power plants commonly found in medical equipment - was believed to have originated in Russian stockpiles and been taken to Thailand through Laos.