Some learn to tie knots; others build a reactor out of radioactive material…

When you think of a nuclear reactor, you probably think of a gigantic power station, somewhere on a remote piece of land far from civilization. This story teaches us that things don’t always have to be that way. This Boy Scout decided to build a nuclear reactor in his mother’s backyard…

Read on for this insane, but true story.

David Hahn

The protagonist of this story, David Hahn, was an ordinary young man from Michigan in the United States. He lived with his mother in Detroit. From an early age, David had been obsessed with chemistry. Where other children express this interest by mixing different shampoos so that they can feel like a scientist, David took a different approach.

At the age of fourteen David already managed to manufacture nitroglycerin. Nitro-what? Nitroglycerin. The main component of dynamite, a very powerful explosive. Not exactly what comes to mind when you think of introducing your child to the wonders of chemistry.

His environment soon noticed that David was engaged in special experiments…

Scouts

David was an enthusiastic member of the Boy Scouts, the American scouting organization. Within the Boy Scouts a child can achieve personal development in all kinds of different areas. While some Boy Scouts specialize in tying knots, building huts or navigating without a compass, David was mainly interested in other things.

What did his mother think about this?