WHAT IS PLUTONIUM?
The 94th element in the periodic table is one of the most dangerous on the planet
WORDS LAURA MEARS
The Trinity crater was created by the first plutonium weapon test in 1945
Plutonium is radioactive, but it doesn’t seem that harmful at first glance. It looks like any other metal, with a silvery sheen that turns dull in contact with the air. Queen Elizabeth II held a piece during a visit to Britain’s Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell in 1957. It was warm to the touch, but it didn’t hurt. Even eating it doesn’t really do any harm, although it’s definitely not recommended. Plutonium atoms fall apart by a process called alpha decay. They release particles made from two neutrons and two protons – essentially a helium nucleus. They’re so bulky that they can’t pass through human skin. Left to its own devices, plutonium decays slowly. The real danger comes when humans interfere.