Richard Handl, a Swedish man from the small town of Ngelholm, always loved chemistry. His father, a pharmacist, had hoped his son would follow him into the family business but, this was not to be. At the young age of 17, Handl was diagnosed with a paranoid disorder and depression.
Effectively boarded, Handl had time on his hands and decided to start collecting all the elements on the periodic table. As his collection grew, he discovered that he could source small quantities of radioactive materials, mostly off eBay. It was then that he decided to see if he could build a small nuclear reactor—in his kitchen. He even blogged about his progress.
His plans hit somewhat of a speed-bump when he created a mini meltdown on his stove. At this point he wondered about the legality of his project and emailed the Swedish Radiation Authority to check. Three weeks later the police arrived at this door and arrested him for violating a number of laws, not least of which was the ownership of hazardous materials.
Handl admits the project was maybe not the best idea, saying that he will probably stick to theory from now on.
