National lab worker accused of stealing secrets

Federal prosecutors on Thursday accused a low-level contract worker at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory - birthplace of the nuclear bomb - with stealing highly classified information about how to make enriched uranium, a key ingredient in nuclear weapons.

The suspect was allegedly caught trying to sell it to someone he thought was representing another country, someone who turned out to be an undercover FBI agent. Federal officials will not say which country the agent was pretending to represent. [via MSNBC]

Labels: Oak Ridge, Theft, Uranium enrichment

Nuclear Detectives Podcast from the BBC

This two-part series examines the work of scientists - acting as nuclear detectives - seeking to identify and control the spread of radioactive materials.

Part One: Theft and Smuggling
Given that just one nuclear device in the wrong hands would cause untold devastation and loss of life, keeping track of nuclear material is a top priority.

Where do radioactive materials come from? And how do these become available to the "wrong hands"?

This first program examines theft, smuggling and what happens next.
via BBC

Labels: Nuclear Weapons, Smuggling, Theft