The famous 'radioactive boy scout' story, where some young fellow collects
radium paint and thorium mantles and wraps them in alfoil to make neutron
source etc finally contaminating his grandmother's toolshed (and supposedly,
half the neighbourhood as well), is it an urban myth or did it really
happen?This did indeed happen. It was reported in an issue of Readers Digest. He used the thorium found in mantle lanterns and acquired broke smoke detectors and removed their Am sources, with help from the NRC if I recall correctly. I think he did use the Am wrapped in tin foil to help activate the thorium in the mantle lanterns. When all was said and done he had managed to contaminate his parents garage, and of course the tax payers picked up the bill for clean up. I believe a quote from his parents went something like this "we saw him come out of the garage and take his clothes off and burn them". Gee, another example of great parental control.