Blog your experience building a nuclear reactor in your kitchen, go to jail. Them's the laws in Sweden, where no nerd's supervillain-esque childhood fantasy fulfillment goes unpunished.

The man, who explained that his interest in nuclear physics was awakened as a teenager, ordered some radioactive material from overseas and acquired more by taking apart a domestic fire alarm.

Reader support makes our work possible. Donate today to keep our site free. All donations TRIPLED!

Despite the man's frank and full disclosure of his experiment, his activities only came to the attention of the authorities a couple of weeks ago when he contacted the Swedish Radiation Authority (Strålsäkerhetsmyndigheten) to inquire if it was legal to construct a nuclear reactor at home.

Breakthrough nuclear reactors may be on their way, and they might even make it into our backyards, but unlike wind and solar, no one's going to be building or installing them from kits assembled by aging hippies.