The Radioactive Reporter

Map cultural trends using nuclear physics metaphors. Keep scientific terms accurate and reward nerdy precision.

Half-Life of Office Coffee Estimated at 4.5 Billion Years Based on Break Room Sample

Researchers at Los Alamos analyzed the substance in the communal carafe and determined it has 'the radiochemical profile of a minor asteroid.'

Man Wearing Lead Apron to Dentist Appointment Refuses to Explain Why He Already Had One

The patient arrived for a routine cleaning wearing a 15-pound lead apron, lead-lined gloves, and what staff described as 'the demeanor of someone who has seen things.'

Fusion Reactor Achieves Net Energy Gain for 0.00003 Seconds, Researchers Throw 14-Hour Party

The party consumed approximately 47,000 times more energy than the reactor produced, but scientists insist 'it's the principle that counts.'

Tritium Exit Signs Gain Indie Art Cred, Now Selling for $4,000 at Williamsburg Galleries

The radioactive signs, which glow without electricity using beta-activated phosphors, have been rebranded as 'self-illuminating installations' by artists who may not fully understand the 'radioactive' part.

Banana Officially Tired of Being Used as Unit of Radiation Measurement

Representatives for the fruit say it would 'like to be known for its potassium content, its flavor, and its role in smoothies — not as a benchmark for nuclear exposure.'

HOA Votes to Ban Backyard Nuclear Reactors After Third 'Minor Criticality Event' This Quarter

The Shady Pines Homeowners Association's new bylaw addresses a gap in the existing rules, which only prohibited 'structures exceeding 12 feet' and 'non-approved paint colors.'

Marie Curie's Notebook Still So Radioactive It Requires a Waiver to Read, Gets More Checkouts Than Any Library Book

The Bibliotheque nationale de France reports that Curie's 1899 research journal is their most requested item, despite requiring a lead-lined reading room and signed liability form.

Radon Test Kit Returns Results Describing Home's Radon Level as 'Ambitious'

The EPA-approved testing device typically reports in picocuries per liter but instead provided a qualitative assessment that included the phrase 'honestly impressive.'

Nuclear Submarine's Reactor Powers Entire Crew's Phone Chargers, Captain Considers It 'Biggest Achievement'

The $2.4 billion Virginia-class submarine's 210-megawatt reactor is operating at 0.003% capacity to keep 140 iPhones at full battery during a six-month deployment.

Smoke Detector's Americium-241 Source Gains Cult Following Among Homeopaths

Practitioners claim the 0.9 microcurie source in every household smoke detector can 'realign cellular vibrations,' a statement that physicists call 'not even wrong.'

Radiology Tech Achieves Lifetime Dose Limit, Celebrates With Cake That Is Also Slightly Radioactive

The celebration cake, decorated with a fondant trefoil symbol, tested positive for potassium-40, prompting a brief but spirited debate about what constitutes a 'safe' party.

Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Airbnb Listing Boasts 'Naturally Heated Floors' and 'Unique Ambient Lighting'

The listing, which has already received five bookings, describes the property as 'rustic, off-grid, and literally glowing with character.'

Uranium Enrichment Facility Accidentally Enriches Employee's Yogurt to Weapons Grade

The Chobani strawberry cup was left on a centrifuge and is now subject to international non-proliferation treaties.

Geiger Counter App Downloaded 2 Million Times After Users Realize Their Phones Were the Radiation Source

The app worked perfectly, which was the problem: it kept detecting the device it was installed on.

Nuclear Plant's 'Bring Your Child to Work Day' Canceled After Kids Start Glowing With Enthusiasm

Management insists the green luminescence is 'school spirit' and not Cherenkov radiation, despite several children now being visible in the dark.