When kids can play with… radioactivity

The Gilbert U238 Atomic Energy Plant It was a sophisticated nuclear lab… for kids.

the game” It was released in 1951 and cost about 500 euros, in today’s terms (It cost $49.50 at the time.) It contained three sources of what was described as “very low radiation”, instruments for measuring radioactivity, as well as four samples of uranium.

was the inventor Alfred Carlton Gilbert Who stated that the play materials are completely safe for young children. However, we now know how Exposure to the isotope U-238 It is associated with cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, and many other serious diseases. The game was commercially available for only one year and was withdrawn in 1952, mainly due to its cost.

Η AC Gilbert Toy Company

^ Alfred Carlton Gilbert It was one of the most popular toy manufacturers in the early 20th century in the United States. Born in Oregon, he showed a particular interest in science and magic from his teenage years, working as a magician to raise funds to study medicine at Yale University. He was also a talented athlete and gold medalist in the pole vault at the 1908 London Olympics.

After graduation Gilbert He founded a company selling sets of magic tricks. But his company quickly expanded into the marketing of toys, most of which had educational goals, focusing on science and engineering. The company’s first major success came with the launch of the “Erector” series of toys, which were building sets and sold over 30 million “pieces” between 1913 and 1935.

During World War I, Gilbert was given the title “The Man Who Saved Christmas” Where he successfully pressured the US government at the time not to ban the production of games.

Το U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory

In the years immediately following World War II, the trend in games reflected broader social trends in the United States, combining invention with imagination. It was the era of modern home comforts, the resumption of scientific research, and freedom.

It was also a time when the legal framework for consumer protection in the United States was very weak. Το U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory He “exploited” this framework and his collection included vials of plutonium nuggets, a Geiger counter, an electroscope, a scintillator, and a cloud chamber.

In 2006, Radar magazine launched the name “The Laboratory”. As one of the 10 most dangerous games of all time, Because of the radioactive materials it contains. The professional magazine IEEE Spectrum wrote in 2020 that the radiation exposure from the game was “minimal, roughly equivalent to a day’s exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun”, Provided that the radioactive samples are not removed from their containers; According to the warnings in the kit instructions.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists She said the kit was withdrawn from the market Because of its high price And not because of security concerns at the time. But what if the containers break? The guide warned that “Specimens tend to flake off and fall apart and you will run the risk of spreading radioactive material throughout your area. Be careful guys!”.

in each case the unstable isotopes it contains They wouldn’t be allowed in any retail consumer product today.

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