The Nuclear Boy Scout | A Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror

[@chrisanderson263]

It's a shame that no one connected him with scientists who could have taught him the science he loved in a safe manner. Isn't that what school is for?

[@dark_fire_ice]

No, it's to make better citizens, whatever that means to whoever's in charge at the time. The whole program needs to be redone, from the legislation to practice

[@junker15]

I wish. American schools teach "school" -- rote obedience, never question an authority. They were prisons without bars in the 1980s just like they're prisons without bars today. The only diff was that 1980s school had no police presence. Schools need to actually educate in the correct ways (as opposed to "educating" by indoctrination and intimidation). Instead, we're led to equate education with punishment.

[@qx4n9e1xp]

Schools are not for education, schools are for raising children to be useful, obedient cogs in society. The system doesn't care about the individual exploring & growing their interests, it cares about carrying the system furthur into power, and diminishing citizen resistance.

[@GazB85]

What school were you in that connected you with people who help you after school, other than college?

[@GoodPersonTestWebsite]

Schools are for indoctrination. His parents really shouldn't have just shipped him off to school and the shed but instead get him a great mentor.

[@VechsDavion]

I feel so sorry for him. What a tragic waste of a brilliant mind, wasted by a lack of support from those around him, and by our academic systems.

[@fuqutube]

The system is designed this way. He should have been given the tools, and funding so we can make new technological advancements and not treated like a criminal.

[@scottlarson1548]

What brilliant mind? He barely understood what he was doing and the support he did get got him the materials which could have harmed everyone in his neighborhood.

[@scottlarson1548]

@@fuqutube He was treated like a criminal because he broke *several laws* and knowingly endangered an entire neighborhood with dangerous materials! This is like saying a guy with a meth lab should be given tools and funding.

[@caitealyssa]

@@scottlarson1548 I think when they mean support, they mean more support for his mental health status. He had schizophrenia and probably a form of autism, both of which could’ve been treated and led to him becoming more aware of the impact of his actions. Had he received better treatment before or after the incident, he could’ve been able to not only continue his work, but be able to do it more safely and reasonably. Instead, being told to not be involved with anything related to his passion and being ostracized by his peers ultimately led to him falling into a depression and turning to drugs, which ultimately killed him. It’s entirely possible that had he received better support from the start, nothing about this situation would’ve changed. But I think it would’ve led to better outcome then how he inevitably died.

[@scottlarson1548]

@@caitealyssa When was he diagnosed as schizophrenic? At least as a teenager he didn't show any signs of hallucinations or other symptoms. He was ostracized by people by the way he treated them which is his fault. He also had a very hot girlfriend who he didn't treat very well. By the end of the book I was struggling to feel any sympathy for him.

[@brooke4608]

He wasn’t even a bad kid, I mean the moment he realized just how dangerous his creation was he began to destroy it. He was just a kid with a brilliant and curious mind. He simply didn’t know how to explore that curiosity safely. Imagine if he had been given the tools and support to conduct these experiments in a safe way. He could have had an amazing impact on the world.

[@Utubesanarc]

He was a nut case and at some time could have killed someone. It's cool to play with fire but don't get burned.

[@stv0863]

@@Utubesanarc ugh you're one of those..

[@ItsAllNunya]

more ethical than a lot of adult scientists

[@aztro.99]

@@stv0863 he’s not wrong, being passion about something is good but radioactivity is an extremely dangerous thing to “be curious about” . i mean they had to bury his items in the desert for christs sake :/

[@azzy-551]

@@aztro.99 I mean building a breader reactor without shielding is definetly dangerous and a general lack in knowledge about exposure and contamination made the situation way worse. Overall I wouldn't say that it's necessarily a dangerous branch of science to be interested in. there are plenty of safer ways to engage in nuclear physics without increasing cancer risks to your neighbors. Even some safer forms of hobbyist reactors exist that don't need more than a lead sheet to be safe.

[@lara4life656]

The empathy you showed telling his story gave me an even higher respect for your narrative skills.

[@sheelfjohnson]

@Franz Fanon If you read the comments below, you'll see that it is apparently hard for a lot of people.

[@christiangibson1867]

@Franz Fanon It's super easy to write this off as stupid and irresponsible without much more thought into the motivation, a lot of people do so. The, as you put it, "group think" is a part of it. The person you're replying to was demonstrating that there's a lot of people out there who don't think about it with the same depth, and was being appreciative that the creator of this video wasn't among that group.

[@christiangibson1867]

@Franz Fanon More Captain Obvious in this case, which seems to be depressingly necessary for you.

[@awapuhi9]

630 likes but only 7 comments. Are our beliefs being directed?

[@marcusjahnke9287]

I agree. It’s sad that his life didn’t take another direction.

[@ArekusaSan]

To me, it sounds like he had a learning disability/neurotype that he didn’t receive any assistance for. His fixation on chemistry allowed him to excel at something and escape from what troubles he was dealing with. I understand why everyone was very hesitant to trust him after his reactor was confiscated, but they completely cut off his one passion and escape from his issues. It’s heartbreaking to hear that his life was reduced to coping with depression, and he could’ve gone on to have a brilliant and fulfilling career doing what he loved. May he rest in peace, and May other kids like him receive the assistance they need to flourish.

[@stuartd9741]

Autism/ Asperger's?

[@charlotteinnocent8752]

@@stuartd9741 EXACTLY. I have an Asperger's son and this boy was definitely on that spectrum. He probably didn't think ANYTHING he was doing was bad at all! And of course he was depressed, his parents and every single person around him didn't understand him. What a tragic waste of a brilliant life for no reason!

[@charlotteinnocent8752]

As I said previously: People always ask: Where are all these Autistic kids coming from? Is it something in the water? (followed by all kinds of absurd conspiracy nonsense). No. They ALWAYS existed. This is what happened to them. They went undiagnosed and unassisted. It's terrible.

[@lindafreeman7030]

He may have had some degree of dyslexia as well.

[@stuartd9741]

@@charlotteinnocent8752 Yes . I picked up on the single mindness. His focus on one subject. But he did lack some awareness otherwise he wouldn't of tried to build the neutron source in his shed.

[@VivaLaDnDLogs]

It's kinda insane to think no one would have ever learned about a homemade nuclear reactor if he hadn't been accused of stealing tires. Can't imagine the look on that cop's face when he realized what he was dealing with.

[@Vindicator_SD]

What gets me is that he was mere moments from getting away with it, but the police got him right as he was leaving to throw it out what shitty timing

[@michaelmerritt7406]

That's not what I think. I think about the amount of radiation he subjected his community to, and the fact that had he not been discovered how he could've negatively affected the people of the community.

[@adamantiuscloudcat1799]

Considering how ignorant most cops are im pretty sure they didnt even know what radiation was.

[@timin770]

​@@adamantiuscloudcat1799 well hell, not everybody can be as smart as you, Adam Ant

[@DanelectroJazz]

​@@adamantiuscloudcat1799 Considering how ignorant someone has to be to assume something about large amount of people , that i'm pretty sure you don't even know how ignorant you really are.

[@exodous02]

I've heard this a few times and some people portray him as a bad person but I feel really bad for him. He wasn't doing anything malicious, he wasn't trying to hurt anyone, he just loved science and didn't weigh the danger. I like how you didn't make him out to be a villain like some youtubers have.

[@russlehman2070]

I don't think he was a bad person at all. He was a smart kid who got in way over his head, because the adults in his life, parents and teachers, for whatever reason didn't see that he got the guidance he needed to do it right. If blame must be assessed, the parents and teachers are way more at fault than he was.

[@lumindoesvideos]

@@russlehman2070 honestly, this is exactly how I see it. All he needed was proper guidance and he could've easily been an amazing scientist.

[@ianmcnaney6528]

He's the son the Curies never had, born a century too late. And before you get too excited about how dangerously irresponsible his shed was read about "the Chicago Pile" where trained nuclear physicists built an unshielded experimental reactor under the bleachers at a football stadium. It's a different time now though.

[@adonaiyah2196]

This is the one of my favourite stories. Its honestly incredible. Not too morbid or too tame either

[@adonaiyah2196]

@@russlehman2070 he was very smart and intriguing. Clearly. But he could have just done some serious work instead of illegally making a hecking nuclear weapon

[@deprofundis3293]

As I was listening to this, I was thinking exactly what you ended with - that some impressive talent was lost forever because people didn't know how to channel his energy and aptitude. He never tried to hurt people, yet he was treated like a criminal and divorced from his calling to be a scientist. Fascinating and sad but really awesome video with plenty to learn from. RIP.

[@rickrolled3666]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKGqdX18bbWsb6s.

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

@@rickrolled3666 stop spamming

[@MMorangatang]

Yeah, supportive people would have probably pushed him to be a nuclear engineer.

[@BlazeDuskdreamer]

Scumb@g was endangering his neighbors without regard. Eff him! What is this bleeding heart bullsh!t. I have ZERO sympathy for him and his parents enabling it, especially his mother tampering with evidence, should face consequences. Stop opening your mind so far that your brains fall out.

[@jessamynroguski9649]

@@BlazeDuskdreamer okay hold on, calm down first It was never confirmed that she disposed of the evidence, just theorized, and even if she did i dont think she would have done so knowingly The shit was radioactive and if she knew she probably wouldnt have gone near the shed Yes, he endangered his neighborhood, but he didnt quite grasp the danger of his actions Only once he realized the radioactivity could be detected quite a ways away did it dawn on him he fucked up, and to his credit, he was trying to dismantle it so it couldnt get to a point itd hurt people drastically Yes, in the end, he made a huge fucking mistake that could have hurt a lot of people, but the fact that people never got past that and didnt let him grow from it hurt him mentally

[@hallowed]

You also left out the part that HIS OWN MOTHER commited SUICIDE at 1996. Can you imagine how depressed this poor guy was?

[@none11flop9]

luv ur music bro

[@josephbennett4236]

Maybe she was, too.

[@Bready3000]

​@BDWriter reactor*

[@daytonasayswhat9333]

Meh. I’d have been at better off if my mom committed suicode.

[@shamelesshussy]

@@InPinkCloverBut it could have been included in the sense that he may have been discharged from the military early due to ‘health grounds’ relating to his depression. He may have been on the aircraft carrier when she died, etc. It’s important context for his ultimate, sad end.

[@HahnJames]

This is a sad, sad story. You hear about people "slipping through the cracks." That's what happened here, but there was no net to catch David. Like most of the comments below have mentioned, a strong role model who could have mentored David would have been invaluable. RIP David.

[@28Josereyes]

It is sad I even cried a little after I watched this. Indeed he was an extraordinary man and a great scientist. I agree R.I.P David 🧪💯

[@poling1990]

The wasted potential in him is astounding. You would think that a kid capable of building a functional nuclear reactor in a shed would immediately be linked up with a university or a government agency. Not treated like a pariah. Kid was a genius.

[@atgblue1]

Dude. . . Are you related?

[@HahnJames]

Distantly.

[@JosephKulik2016]

David was a product of the American Public School System. Education critic John Taylor Gatto has written several books explaining that the function of Public School is NOT to educate children but to "dumb them down" instead. His view was that Public School had the function of producing "robots" for the Corporate Business World, people who were smart enough to follow orders but not smart enough to ask revealing questions. Gatto believed that including "critical thinking" in Public School curricula would actually be a threat to the Capitalist Social Status Quo. The problem with David was that although he he was brilliant student he couldn't find his place in that Giant Machine called American Society. There have been many Americans like David, people with vast potential who couldn't find their place in The Machine, people who eventually got chewed up by The Machine and spit out as so much Human Garbage. Prisons, mental hospitals, and Skid Rows across America are full of them. David's is just one story among millions.

[@madeliner1682]

As someone with a couple neurodevelopmental disorders, his actions strike me as very much in line with ADHD and/or Autism - struggles to exist in a classroom setting but can hyperfocus on a special interest. I've been told many times verbatim by the school system that I was "too smart" to be special needs because according to them being 'smart' automatically means you never struggle with anything in any way ever; my social and mental needs went completely unaddressed for almost my entire life I feel for the guy, I really do - kids like us need the right environment to thrive, and the school system clearly never gave him the support he needed to be able to make his passion into a career

[@camerastooge]

My son has ADHD and high-functioning ASD and I can confirm. Even after being disgnosed with both conditions, the school faculty treated him more as a problem child than a special needs child. It was very, very discouraging.

[@Mrsjam96]

Smh this is my children too! And probably me and quite possibly my husband.

[@clockside]

@@camerastooge You yourself call it high-functioning autism though, and "high-functioning" very much implies that a person can function just fine. So why would a school give supports to someone who already is functioning fine? The problem is that the label is inaccurate and actually ableist. Your kid still needed supports regardless of how they were categorized. The autistic community has been fighting against the use of functioning labels for a long time, in part because of crap like what your kid went through. Functioning labels are never used to lift us up. It's almost always about denying our autism and needs if we're "high-functioning" and denying our intelligence and autonomy if we're "low-functioning." It creates an artificial divide where allistic folks can then say we're either not really autistic ("mild" autism) so we can't have a voice in how autistic folks are treated or we're too autistic to have a voice and thus an Autism Parent has the "right" to speak for us. I want to explain that I'm not saying this with intent to be mean! You obviously didn't know about any of the issues around functioning labels, and that's not a moral failing or anything. So I'm just letting you know so that you CAN know! :) Also another "just so you know because a lot of people don't know," I very much recommend not getting any information from Autism "Speaks". They're an ableist hate organization that wants to cure/eliminate autistic people, not help us or our families. The best information about what autism is really like and the issues we face is from actually autistic people, not from people who aren't autistic but think they somehow have a right to speak over us. Again, I don't think you're bad! You just didn't know, and a lot of society is informed by organizations like A$ so most people don't know either. The school was very very wrong, no matter how your kid's autism was labeled. Your kid needed and deserved those supports, and it's not your fault the school had an ableist approach to autism. The school failed your kid, not you. You did everything you could. It's not your fault.

[@JediLennon]

@@clockside spot on!!! I discovered as an adult that I'm on the autism spectrum, and it's so terrible dealing with people who perpetuate a misunderstanding of the disorder and is a huge reason why so many go undiagnosed and don't get support or understanding. I've dealt with some very abelist people and ignorant doctors. Many of us on the spectrum are lucky enough to be able to do most things on our own and have very few observable symptoms, and blend in somewhat well with neurotypicals despite perhaps having limited specific interests, routines or other behaviors that get us labeled "eccentric but normal". My whole life I was subconsciously forced by sheer fear and frustration into imitating behaviors of others and masking. I was shamed for my stimming and other behaviors or routines, and had numerous conflicts, meltdowns, and other issues solely revolving around communication and misunderstandings with neurotypicals. By the time I came to a place where I had struggled halfway through my life and finally figured out why I always felt so different and misunderstood so much, some have tried to tell me "you are too functional to have autism" as if they know better what was happening inside my mind my whole life, what I've gone through to be here, and how exactly it echoes the experience of so many others confirmed to be on the spectrum.....

[@Minkfang]

Since we’re speculating I wonder if the sores on his face were self inflicted

[@motheraiya]

The more I learned about him, the more it's very evident that he was neurodivergent and undiagnosed. So sad to see such a brilliant and remarkable person make mistakes that could have been avoided with more adult intervention in his youth.

[@imaticol8374]

I completly agree. Autism comes in many forms, I myself wasn't diagnosed until recently because I didn't fit the extremly stereotypical views on them. He clearly was brilliant and if he just had a support system, I'm sure he would have gone on to do great things.

[@lottiestewart8918]

Yeah, he really sounds autistic (as well as dyslexic!)

[@henrydrake8463]

This was my first thought. I was diagnosed in my 40s with ADHD. I'm prone to extended periods of hyper focus and have been my whole life. I actually read The Radioactive Boy Scout around 15 years ago but it wasn't until this video (and reflecting on my own behaviour) that it hit me. This kid was highly neurodivergent.

[@LadyVoldemort]

I paused at 2:49 and went straight to the comments section looking for this subject. I was thinking, "Hey, he sounds like me." ("He could eat and drink but, for God's sake, don't talk..."

[@animepussy8356]

Lol neurodivergent It's called Autism Spectrum Disorder (very likely comorbid ADHD, too)

[@c.2403]

Despite his bad actions, I kinda feel bad for him. He had a huge passion for the stuff that he did & because of his carelessness & naiveness, he ended up being banned from doing what he liked. He seemed highly intelligent & determined for a kid of his age. May he Rest In Peace :(

[@rickrolled3666]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKGqdX18bbWsb6s.

[@lokisg3]

I don't know, he have the sprit but should not be taking risk, this is nothing new. The last time smart people did that, it was awaken a dragon. The Demon Core accident.

[@jwenting]

he didn't break the law in any way, he just had trouble understanding the risks associated with his experiments due to lack of proper education.

[@J0SHUAKANE]

He didn't do anything wrong. It's everyone around him that failed him.

[@119Agent]

@@jwenting Didn't he steal smoke alarms?

[@jessicad83]

39 years old, what a loss, imagine if he had a positive influence or mentor in his life what he would have achieved... so sad RIP David. 💐

[@rickrolled3666]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKGqdX18bbWsb6s.

[@TR-vr5pz]

nahhh f him

[@stuartd9741]

Exactly wasted energy..

[@slyguythreeonetwonine3172]

He would have just invented something the Government would have killed him for.

[@Clay3613]

He was in the Navy and his father encouraged him to pursue his passion for chemistry.

[@SudaNIm103]

Not long after the EPA, designated David's mother's property a Superfund site in June 1995, and the continued media fallout; David's mother Patty Hahn would take her own life sometime around the beginning of 1996. 😕 It's tragic.

[@ohboi6432]

It’s insane that he was able to do all of this, and instead of encouraging his education and maybe actually getting a position in a real nuclear field they just villanized him. Dude sounds like he was no harm to anyone, he just had full blooded passion for science and I respect it. Edit: RIP, he deserved much better than this.

[@giftedfox4748]

During the time and all the harm radiation has done I am sure people thought great ill over it. Back then when people don't understand something they reject it and label it as evil.

[@zacharyrollick6169]

@@giftedfox4748 They still do. Humans don't change in general. They can't.

[@oddjob914]

@@zacharyrollick6169 Humans and humanity are changing all the time. In fact, many researchers believe that our recent (within the last few decades) outbreak of depression/mental illness is due to the fact that humanity is changing too fast.

[@vromanoff84nj]

This is really sad and yes why wasn’t he mentored and guided according to his passions and talents? It sounds like his parents were educationally and intellectually neglectful and the apparently crappy school system acted in conjunction with his parents. Sad and what a waste of a life.

[@kristab321]

Please let the wer u

[@giftedfox4748]

A lot of people still hate him, spitting on his grave. For me, I think I understood his passion for science. He wanted to follow his dream and he did the best he could without anyone else really helping him. But despite all the odds it didn't work in his favor. He wanted his dream so badly that he did a huge dangerous risk. Not for money or revenge but for his love in chemistry.

[@override7486]

Spitting on his grave? What fucking scumbag you have to be to just think about doing something like that? Difficult to call them human beings in the first place.

[@carlmorgan8452]

Chemistry love 💘.....wondering if he was making drugs 🤔

[@nowandaround312]

​@@override7486 It's just a figure of speech, probably with rare exceptions. People aren't actually visiting his gravestone in droves to spit on it

[@mirzaghalib8659]

people actually go to his grave just to spit on it? are you serious?

[@johnr797]

@@mirzaghalib8659 it's a figure of speech, saying they disrespect him even in death

[@kal4636]

This story just, hit me. The way you can tell he was such a brilliant young mind, and he had so much potential, but his ability to use it was taken from him. I wish he could have been given the mentorship and space he needed to explore his passion, I'm sure he would have made some amazing contributions had he been given the ability to do so :(

[@Project2013B]

Some people consider a person making a graph in excel to be "Brilliant" simply because they have zero knowledge in that area.

[@Perkeletricksterservantofrher]

@@Project2013B he was a stupid who just didn't respect nuclear power

[@somexp12]

@@Project2013B That's basically it. He had an obsessive interest in the subject, so any use he made of the knowledge he accumulated would come off as impressive to ignorant parties. All he really accomplished, however, towards creating a nuclear reactor was accumulating a pile of radioactive waste. None of the material was fissionable, so it was essentially useless. Not a huge failure, given it takes large amounts of state-financed industry to create that type of fuel, but that doesn't mean he accomplished anything.

[@somexp12]

The kid accumulated a pile of radioactive waste, thinking he was going to make a reactor out of it. That's not quite "brilliant". Enterprising, yes, but still lacking in basic knowledge.

[@StrazdasLT]

@@somexp12 The so called "nuclear waste" is fissionalbe in a breeder reactor.

[@martaszewczak7515]

This is so sad. He could have been a briliant scientist. He had the drive. How come the teachers, parents, the grown ups in Boy Scouts all ignored it? He should be somewhere in a lab right now trying to find better and safer ways to harvest atomic energy. I feel really sorry for him :(

[@sugarrose8640]

Yep, you are right. Seems like all the adults failed him or chose to ignore it. Gave him the resources and left him to it. Maybe he had Asperger's idk. However, he should have been looked after more closely. Especially when it's such a dangerous subject/hobby. It wasn't just dangerous to him but to all.😔😔😔

[@bestplayeralive]

No he couldnt.

[@silver5515]

He couldn't write properly, so he got labeled stupid. His parents probably didn't understand enough science to see how clever he was, so they only made sure he didn't burn down the house. After he was discovered, he was only labeled as a stupid kid making his mothers shed radioactive by dismantling smoke detectors and stuff. In the navy, he was forbidden to deal with the things he were most interested in, due to his past mistake. He was constantly reminded by an event that was considered shamefull, even though it was his greatest achievement, by his health problems. No wonder he got depression and turned to alchohol and drugs.

[@ziziflor9019]

I agree. He could have been a brilliant scientist. What a shame

[@_Circus_Clapped_]

then, society failed him society now doesn't appreciate nuclear up until they see the weather changing fast, in CA they had decent air quality up until they shut down most of their nuclear power plants, all of this over a few "concerned citizens" those concerned citizens were probably paid by the oil companies to gain a bigger foot hold

[@tenshiamanda]

I feel so bad for this kid. He was evidently a genius. If instead of being afraid of him, he'd been offered scholarships and the opportunity to learn and discover safely alongside other knowledgeable and qualified peers, he really could have done amazing things.

[@joshcantrell8397]

Obsession doesn’t equate to genius

[@sedna1766]

I agree, they could of made his ‘punishment’ an advanced health and safety course or something, then like you say a scholarship where he could of progressed. Absolutely no criminal intent, just very advanced in practical science but very far behind in the health and safety side of things. What a waste of talent…

[@cruisepaige]

His HUGE lack of judgement was not something to be ignored.

[@sedna1766]

@@cruisepaige 100%, which is why it’s a shame nobody thought to try and teach him or steer him, however maybe they did and because of his dyslexia or other learning issues that didn’t work out.

[@WobblesandBean]

TOTALLY DISAGREE. He is reckless, and who knows what he would have done after gaining access to even more dangerous materials.

[@GeneralTaco155555a]

Just a side note, those sores on his face in his mugshot are most likely from heavy drug use. Whoever called the police on him for tampering with smoke alarms probably suspected him of cooking meth. Given his history of interest in chemistry, I wouldn't be surprised if that was true, and the origin of his drug addiction.

[@gracew2582]

Incorrect to assume it's drugs stress can do it also seen it first hand

[@anthonystaab1314]

absolutely false it’s residual radiation from the americium

[@sailormoonwannabe]

@@gracew2582 but it said he literally died of a drug overdose. I'm sure stress can do that, but in this case it seemed like it was caused by drugs.

[@gracew2582]

@@sailormoonwannabe alcohol poisoning *

[@tylerkinley268]

He had been hoarding smoke detectors at his apartment building when he died, so they figured the scars were likely from more exposure. After all, he harvested a lot of material from smoke alarms for his original reactor. I haven't seen any evidence of him being a meth or opiate user.

[@brasslion4176]

I can't help but sympathize with David after watching this video. What he did was dangerous but I truly don't believe he meant to harm anyone. If he had received proper counseling and mentoring after his first brush with the law, maybe he could have grown up to be an incredibly brilliant mind. Instead he was treated like a terrorist and a criminal by a system that couldn't understand him and see the true potential in him, and found it easier to ostracize him rather than help and nourish him. Rest in peace David, the world won't know what a brilliant individual they lost.

[@gordonaliasme1104]

Was it a form of Asperger's?

[@maryconner9409]

If he was treated like a terrorist and a criminal, he wouldn't have been allowed to join the Navy and be assigned to a critical ship like that. He may not have been intending harm, but he appeared to be incapable of putting the possible harm to others ahead of his own desires. I have known many individuals like David, and the fact that he protected himself from the radiation, but didn't appear to give a hoot for his mother's neighbors would have been a serious red flag to me that this was an individual who should not be trusted to work with hazardous materials.

[@pyromaniac709]

Hitler didnt meant to hurt a yone either,yet people paints him as a monster

[@Vilexxica]

As someone who is neurodivergent & high-masking, this whole story twigs to me as someone who was also ND/high-masking but got zero support or guidance. Genuinely tragic to think how many brilliant people like us have just withered away because nobody understood their hyperfixations & they couldn't fit into society's tidy little boxes; he could've been a brilliant scientific mind for the betterment of humanity had he had the chance.

[@Takeninthelight]

I thought it was only me. Definitely second this. David was probably not given the support he needed in school to help cover his issues in other subjects, and definitely not given the support in his own interests. Genuinely upsetting to see such a brilliant mind just... left to die.

[@madeliner1682]

Yep, I actually just left another comment saying something similar. The school system failed him and it routinely fails kids like us. I've literally been told to my face that I'm "too smart to be special needs" 😑 shit stings man

[@ShiningSta18486]

exactly, so fucking sad

[@Mrsjam96]

Thank you for writing this response! I googled neurodivergent and now know my children need this diagnosis! They have been diagnosed with ADHD. They are in medicine but still struggle in school! I tried to have my daughter tested but was told by MORONS that she reads at too high a level to have ANY other learning issues! I am taking them to a specialist and having them tested so they can get the help they need! I also found a KZbinr that her whole channel is about these issues! Thank you for opening my eyes! I owe you one! #Violetvisions

[@tonisiret5557]

Bingo! I'm glad I'm not an autistic living in the US.

[@ramseydoon8277]

I appreciate the level of professionalism/respect displayed in all your videos, but this one especially struck me as having the perfect documentarian tone.

[@kquinnvandevelde1384]

I've heard this story so many times, but this is the first time I've heard anything about what happened after David was caught. Thank you for including it and for your respect to David and his memory.

[@randomsleepyness]

"David, have you been stealing tires?!" "No sir, I've just been making a nuclear reactor"

[@renerpho]

Police probably would have left if he had explained that this was his mother's home, and that he was just loading machines and equipment into his truck, not stealing tires. Warning them of the radioactivity was, of course, unwise (even if it was commendable).

[@danevertt3210]

“Oh…ok, move along boy”

[@DB-cx6uc]

@@danevertt3210 "Move along sir" -southpark mall cop 😂

[@danevertt3210]

@@DB-cx6uc “nothing to see here…” Meanwhile the shed is glowing haha

[@DB-cx6uc]

@@danevertt3210 😂😂

[@Jennifer_Layne]

This is the first I’ve heard of of the nuclear Boy Scout. It is a shame that his teachers never took the time to really get to know him and see that despite his poor spelling and less than stellar grades this kid was truly brilliant. With the proper guidance he could have truly gone on to do amazing things in the Scientific community. Truly a heartbreaking story.

[@thatgnaralooguy]

Were you there to see them "not taking the time" with him.

[@kathyjones1576]

I feel so bad for this kid. Instead of being guided in his passion, he was left alone to do for himself. At that young age, that was the last thing he needed. But, he was only doing what all the greatest scientists have ever done, and that is experimenting. He was willing to fail so he could learn, and he was passionate enough to keep experimenting until he succeeded. He also realized that he needed to find a safer place, and when he tried to do that, that's when his life fell apart. :(

[@de_cre_vi]

As a teacher, this kind of story is so frustrating and heartbreaking. I don't know why his parents and teachers just ignored him while he was doing such brilliant (albeit dangerous) things! Such a tragic loss for this world.

[@DigitalHi5]

welcome to Detroit school systems... it's even worse now.

[@jheanelltabana8713]

At least he was allowed to do his chemistry until it got out of hand. Many of us weren't even allowed that growing up. Parents just don't want to take the risk of injury or making a mess, and they don't have the time or won't take the time to help us with projects (since it's too dangerous for us to do alone). I remember I wanted a chemistry kit and was denied for this reason. I totally understand if it was a money issue, but I guess kids just take up too much free time.

[@de_cre_vi]

@jheanelltabana8713 it really is a lack of human resources for the field, in large part due to lack of funding towards education. What we can do about it is push for more funding for education, especially to improve access and quality of learning experience, but also we can begin to build spaces that allow children these opportunities in safe settings, so that it's not missed out on.

[@lydiac2221]

Never heard this story before. its both kind of wholesome and funny and also really heartbreaking, the poor kid could have been so successful if he'd been given the right opportunity :(

[@benjalucian1515]

Wholesome? For obstructing justice, not being forthcoming to the cops and allowing dangerous radiation contamination onto his neighbors and other members of his community?

[@lisaalane7694]

I had a son that some teachers told me he is the smartest kid in the school and others wanted nothing to do with. He is an outdoorsy, the harder the manual labor the better I like it kind of guy, and has always pursued that kind of work. Fortunately, his bosses have all realized he is smart too, and taken that into account with his work. But these kids in the school system, especially active boys, that do not fit the mold, often are underestimated in their potentials.

[@virginiaconnor8350]

Like the chr. Sheldon Cooper.

[@cyberleaderandy1]

A potentially brilliant mind that was so sadly wasted and lost so young. May he rest in peace.

[@papadave3084]

I am certain this has already been mentioned in the 2,300 comments that precede mine, but I want to chime in anyway. Thank you so much, Fascinating Horror, for speaking so respectfully of this young man at the end of the video. This kid had a brilliant mind. I was hoping to hear you say that he ended up having a successful career as a chemical engineer. It crushed me, though, to hear he was overcome by depression and died at such an early age. This story was very well presented. Thank you.

[@catherineklabouch6872]

He was so preoccupied with whether or not he could, he didn't stop to think if he should.

[@Subject_Keter]

You know some guys climb mountians for girls, some guys bulk up to be good and others put that lame shit behind for the ever hot nuclear reactors.... lol

[@catherineklabouch6872]

@UpNorth To be fair, he had a meager budget lol

[@cadillacdevile]

He could have changed the world. This is the perfect example of why we should support our youth in the appropriate manner rather than to treat them with uncertainty and giving a cold shoulder. It is obvious he did not have malicious intent. Rest In Power genius 🙏🏾

[@rickrolled3666]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKGqdX18bbWsb6s.

[@freshrot420]

I was thinking the same thing. Especially if they'd got him involved in nuclear projects thru the proper channels, before he ever did his. Sounds like he should have been taking extra college courses during highschool, maybe even working at a reactor, all while learning proper radiation safety.

[@scottlarson1548]

@@freshrot420 It was clear from his notes that he barely understood what he was doing. He couldn't have taken any college classes in high school because he was flunking most of his classes. He couldn't even understand basic algebra. This is all well documented in the book, "The Radioactive Boy Scout".

[@cadillacdevile]

@@freshrot420 I think our point of proper guidance and proper channels went over your friends head because he read a book 🙄

[@colincampbell767]

His parents should have gotten him to see a doctor the moment they noticed the mismatch between his intelligence and his brains. My son was getting poor grades and his teacher's were saying that he had a bad habit of not completing assignments. When I saw that his standardized test scores were seriously above average - I took him to a pediatrician. Turned out he has ADD. We got that under control and now his grades are in line with his test scores.

[@caelyclifford6133]

I think his family appreciates this coverage of this story. A lot just make him seem like an idiot but you made sure to give his intelligence credit. Which he certainly was.

[@PaiSAMSEN]

This hit way too close to home. Like him, my childhood years wasn't exactly smooth. I was really into messing with scientific experiment, but got bored by practically everything else, including things most kids my age were usually into, so my academic performance were horrible as a result. Also, like him, I spent majority of my allowance, to the point of cutting off some meal to save money for tool (any kids reading this comment, DO NOT do this. Your health is important too.), on setting up a small lab in my home, though definitely not as impressive as Hahn's one (seeing how he manage to make a breeder reactor on his own. This is NOT a small feat.). And....well, long story short, I made enough mess that my parents forbade me from running more experiment at home (understandable, since I almost set the house on fire and get myself injured in the process on more than one occasions). When my favorite science teacher heard of this, she got me to join what is essentially a summer camp for science nerds. I practically spent every single summer ever since until my graduation from high school in similar camps. Following a few more chain of events later, and I'm about to get a master's degree in biomedical engineering in about a year. I tend to attribute my current achievements as the biggest benefit from the time within those camps. While that is still true to a degree, I now feel like the biggest benefit from those time is that I get someone to point me in the right direction that correlate with my interests, and, also as importantly, I'm not a freak because of my (rather unhealthy) interest in science.......okay maybe I'm a bit of freak, but at least I'm not the only freak in the country, and that they are future for people like us, like everyone else. It's depressing to hear stories of someone like David Hahn who would have long road ahead had he meet with someone who can harness his potential and guide his interest. It's also horrifying to think that my life could have been much, much worse had I never met that science teacher. Sorry for long, weird rambling. English isn't my native language.

[@Lisa_0519]

Well done!! A masters degree is a great accomplishment, and one in your direction is fantastic! I work with young people, and my goal with them is to guide them to reach their best potential they can. So reading your story, after hearing about this young man, is an inspiration and gentle warning to watch for subtle signs very early in life. 👏

[@Mrsjam96]

Dr Galactose I want to PRAISE you AND CONGRATULATE you!!!! I am sooooo happy to hear that 1 teacher/ persons recognized genius and harnessed it into greatness!!! Even if you don’t win a Nobel prize YOU WILL accomplish GREATNESS!!!!!! So VERY proud of you!!!!! 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻 If only someone could have seen David’s greatness, his story could be much like yours!

[@TK-tcbk1]

I wish the US was better at cultivating the creativity and interests our kids have. I think in many cases it gets stomped out instead of nourished. I’m very happy you found a way to use your passion and intelligence in the real world. Idk if it’s true but some say if you love your job you never work a day in your life. Hope this proves true to you and that you can help other kids maybe who love science find their way. (Your English is nothing to apologize about. It’s quite good.)

[@LilyS1031]

Good teachers change the world.

[@stuartd9741]

I can only congratulate you on your achievements. The video similarly hit close to home for me too. Not to the extent like you had but in the sense of not achieving my true potential. It's clear with good positive mentoring you've turned a fascination into a positive force. Rather them a negative one like Hahn. But this is what happens when someone with an interest isn't fully understood or nutured. So Hahn was left to his own devices with the subsequent consequences. It is possible he had Autism/ Asperger's. A sad end.

[@yomiha.toysjogja]

As a father, i liked how you ended the video. I mean he's clearly unsteered genius with a determination. He could go a long way if he got the support he needs

[@lighthoused.]

His death was a tragedy and I’m so glad you discussed it with empathy and grief.

[@crimsonclover9871]

I really appreciate your empathy and compassion in telling David's story. He wasn't a bad kid or even a "troubled" genius. By all accounts his parents got on well and gave him a good childhood. If he'd had a proper mentor guiding him and showing him the right path to follow imagine what David could have accomplished! He could have changed the world inventing new ways to combat and treat cancer via nuclear medicine or radiopharmaceuticals. Bless him. RIP David...I hope that you are wrapped in love and light.

[@jakenorthand1755]

It’s amazing how unique human minds can be. To think someone could struggle to spell but have a solid grasp on some chemistry and nuclear physics…

[@testchannelpleaseignore2452]

Its sad that he was never connected with anyone who could have recognized his abilities, Im sure someone would have been willing to take him under their wing so to speak. Just imagine the potential advancements he could have made if his passion was recognized and channeled properly.

[@BlackSeranna]

One of the most important details of this story that you might not be aware of - the kid said, in an interview with Reader's Digest, that the game changer was when he found a vial of the radioactive paint in one of the old clocks he bought. That radioactive paint was what tipped it from a very laborious task to having all the material he needed to finish the project. I believe the article ran in Reader's Digest in the late 1990's. Edit: just a thought - all that radiation would have had an affect on his brain. People who go through radiation and chemo can experience extreme depression; I guess he didn't escape it.

[@maryseflore7028]

Being banned from doing science, which was his greatest passion, probably had much more of an impact on his mental health than radiation. Imagine being forbidden from doing what you love the most (whichever that is) by authorities that will get you arrested and charged.

[@codetech5598]

It was a vial of radium. He used to drive around the city with a Geiger counter in his car and when he passed a certain antique shop the Geiger counter went wild and led him to the clock.

[@airysquared]

@@codetech5598 That an antique shop had a clock with enough radioactive material to set off the Geiger counter from his car like that is actually pretty frightening.

[@loucathwil86]

I'm Hoping there's a parallel universe where he was given the support and encouragement he needed, and he's hosted his own ted talk on the importance of recognising, diagnosing, and supporting neurodivergent people.

[@anhedonianepiphany5588]

Although David wasn’t the genius many believe he was, he most certainly was highly resourceful and well above average in terms of intelligence. Many of our greatest minds belong(ed) to individuals who would/could be classified as neurodivergent, so it’s not wrong for genius to be associated with such conditions. It’s sad to think that so much potential is being wasted, rather than harnessed, due simply to society being too myopic to comprehend the benefits of giving every child the opportunity to learn and grow - and be supported - regardless of their unique needs or challenges.

[@loucathwil86]

@@anhedonianepiphany5588 here here!

[@Brainsore.]

He wasn’t autistic, just a smart dude.

[@anhedonianepiphany5588]

@@Brainsore. Yes, to the average moron he would seem super-intelligent. Why persist in making your brain sore by attempting to comprehend things which are beyond your cognitive boundaries?!?

[@chrisakaschulbus4903]

@@anhedonianepiphany5588 The question is how feasable would a school system be and how specific and how many differen't options they should have. Wanna change the whole system because of the chance that the next great thinker might sit there? How is this supposed to work? I don't think you mean specialised equipment and teaching staff for every nieche someone could be interested in.

[@NSGrendel]

Just as a counterpoint, it is hard to employ a guy who misspells his warning sign and doesn't consider the dangers of radiation in the field of nuclear engineering. A tragedy nonetheless.

[@clappincheeks5584]

I remember being a Boy Scout and I was so obsessed with this story. I couldn’t believe it, I read so much into it, and I’m so sad to hear that he had been victim to drugs and alcohol, which ultimately cost him his life. Such a brilliant young man who may have just had a few screws loose, but don’t we all?

[@chegeny]

Sad tale of gifted young life. David also had a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. Also, his mother's suicide and personal problems gave him crippling depression that led to an early grave.

[@MrCombatmedic00]

As a kid and hearing about this, we found it amusing and funny. Now as an adult and parent, I find this tragic and utterly heartbreaking.

[@SAOS451316]

if he received the proper support and a lesson in lab safety he'd probably be a chemist of some note. what's interesting is that his experiments were only forbidden from the house after they blew up, not when they became dangerous. being passionate is one thing but he might have felt neglected if he was trying to tell everyone he meets about his experiments. you have to pay attention to your kid's interests even if you don't understand them. you didn't mention it but some people in the vicinity of the shed experienced radiation sickness and the cleanup involved materials all over the neighborhood that were contaminated.

[@anhedonianepiphany5588]

I’m sorry, but David wasn’t a genius, despite what all the sensationalism would have you believe. What he did took unusual resourcefulness for someone of his age, and he was very talented at the art of deceit, but this does not make him a genius. And, nor does being able to follow the basic steps involved in making a _crude neutron source._ This kind of information was readily accessible in high school physics textbooks of the time (and presently), and would’ve been available via most public libraries also. I feel badly for him, and I accept that he was not provided the help he most desperately needed, but let’s not not him out for more than he is. Many kids would have had the knowledge to do what he did - but only he actually did it.

[@SAOS451316]

@@anhedonianepiphany5588 you don't need genius to be a good scientist. he was driven by his passion for chemistry and that would have been enough. the information is there, yes, but it needs to be applied and that does require some intelligence and the ability to learn and understand the information. there's no step by step guide or diy kit you can just put together in an afternoon and have a working reactor. he was smart but his problem was a lack of wisdom (and hubris and lack of guidance).

[@Jared_Wignall]

I remember hearing about this. It’s quite fascinating how he was able to all this in his shed. Interesting story.

[@rickrolled3666]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKGqdX18bbWsb6s.

[@JZAK367]

@@rickrolled3666 the last clip had me dying

[@darrellmackinnon1667]

*F.H. The 2 biggest things about why I prefer this channel, over others, are that you are indepth/very thorough, and you use case studies/events, that are not very well-known, to this generation. Always a pleasure and keep up the great work. This channel definitely flies under the radar.*

[@ProjectDarkWolf]

I think 'genius' is an overstatement for making a bag full of radioactive waste, but he's the definition of 'inspired' and 'motivated'. And, those are pretty good building blocks for genius. Maybe he could have gone on to solve the nuclear fusion reactor in time.

[@MaiAolei]

What I would like to know is what he was planning to do with the radioactive waste he was trying to dispose of. Was he going to dump it into a landfill? Drive it far out into the wilderness? Drop it somewhere and call the authorities anonymously? Or even more generally, what was his endgame or final goal? Was he planning on donating the nuclear material he created to the nearest nuclear power plant as a little private contribution to the local energy supply?

[@JozefLucifugeKorzeniowski]

he was a teenager, i dont think he had the foresight to consider that. sounds like he just wanted to mess around with nuckear power. maybe nurse his radioactive pile closer to criticality so he could use it to run a steam powered turbine supplying enough energy to power a city block indefinitely. they wouldnt want his nuclear pile at a nuckear power plant, it was a hodge podge of different matterials and most plants use only uranium pellets stacked in rods.

[@MaiAolei]

@@JozefLucifugeKorzeniowski Yeah, well, that last one was more tongue in cheek than anything else. ;-)

[@snowpawzvideos]

He was only a kid, I don’t think he thought that far ahead.

[@UCannotDefeatMyShmeat]

Could you even do that? Donate nuclear material like that?

[@davemccage7918]

I too know the soul crushing feeling that comes when you discover your passion, develop it relentlessly, do spectacular things with it… and then have society take everything you loved about it away from you. You start to realize the thing that once gave you so much joy only can only now cause you pain when reminiscing about it. It’s gone forever, and with it, a part of your soul is abducted from you as well. The misunderstood genius usually doesn’t fair to well in this world filled with uninspired dullards. RIP David.

[@rilmar2137]

I heard about him but I never knew what happened to him afterwards. It's so sad. He was obviously a brilliant guy, just misguided

[@rickrolled3666]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKGqdX18bbWsb6s.

[@TH-bj1pb]

He had a new clear vision

[@duncandmcgrath6290]

@@TH-bj1pb Ba-dum-tiss

[@Mrsjam96]

You mean UN guided! If someone would have taken him under their wing he would be an incredible scientist!

[@Dan-ud8hz]

The book detailing his story more in depth is called "The Radioactive Boy Scout" by Ken Silverstein

[@mattmc5069]

My dad told me how in the late 1950s when he was a teen his school got a new kid one day who almost everyone teased, believing he was "slow". When you saw him in the hall his mouth was hanging open and he was staring into space. He talked very slowly and if you said his name, he would walk past you several feet before he said "hi" or acknowledged you. Then my dad started talking to him and saw him flip through a meduim size book in 1 minuite and he remembred everything he read. Dad was in his math class and saw him leave the classroom when done with his problems in about 2 minuites (dad, taking the same test, remembering seeing about 40 complex math problems on the sheets) and the teacher said the next day to the class to congratulate him on aceing every problem without error. The next year he was gone from school. My dad did some digging and found out from a teacher that at 14 he had been progressed to advanced collage due to his intellect . It turned out common things where to easy for him, so he appeared "slow" as his mind was so advanced he couldnt focus on normal things like holding a conversation.

[@LogicalReasons]

I just want to mention that I really love how you give the personality of the people that are subject to the stories so they are humanized

[@giles4565]

Really sad, Rip David. I don't know why a university didn't offer him a scholarship after this.

[@ED-yy4te]

He had bad grades on other subjects. That's how modern education works.

[@rickrolled3666]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKGqdX18bbWsb6s.

[@allisonmarciszyn8716]

He couldn't write effectively, and he had a complete disregard for the health and safety of others. He would have been a huge legal liability as a college student and couldn't be trusted to follow rules and laws. He had the skillset to be a terrorist or anarchist, but none of the skills required to be a scientist instead and no demonstrable interest in learning them.

[@jwenting]

@@allisonmarciszyn8716 that disregard was mostly out of ignorance I think, at least initially, and could have been focused and turned around had he been given proper education and guidance. His writing skills are a far worse problem, maybe those could have been resolved, maybe not.

[@giles4565]

@@allisonmarciszyn8716 He made a literal nuclear breeder reactor. Not many graduates from Harvard could do that. He was not necessarily academic but clearly very smart.

[@arklinmike]

There's a story similar to this, where a remarkable young man named Taylor Wilson also has been studying nuclear science. In his case though he has the support of his parents, and the mentorship of university professor Ron Phaneuf, and is doing amazing work. Just an example of how the right support and encouragement can be truly life changing.

[@masterimbecile]

Many KZbin stories made him sound like a mad man. Honestly his work ethics and passion are very commendable. He could use a few lecture hours on lab safety though.

[@TheOneTrueGnomeKing]

I remember David's story from back in my Boy Scout days. He got his Eagle long before me and over the years there was always a cautionary tone when somebody talked about it but i was always inspired by his ingenuity and thought it was cool how he managed to pull it off. Dont get me wrong i 100% understood how crazy stupid it is to mess with anything radioactive, i like my electrons where they are, tyvm. The tragedy was indeed how nobody helped to nurture or guide his interests into something (safe) and fulfilling or simply denied him the right to knowledge.

[@essaboselin5252]

The video left out some very key pieces of information. His depression was actually paranoid schizophrenia. It got bad enough during his Navy stint that he couldn't hide it any more, and that's what got him discharged. He also refused to follow his treatment plan. He wasn't a genius. He called some experts for information, but then didn't follow their directions when it came to collecting and storing the radioactive material. There's no way to know how many of his neighbors have or will suffer some sort of health issue from being exposed to elevated levels of radiation.

[@timjones5953]

Agreed. People in this comment section are a bit too stuck on the whole "genius but neurodivergent kid got done dirty by the system" angle to see that nothing he did was really all that impressive, just incredibly dangerous for him and those around him, especially since he apparently had the information of how stupid this experiment was. People should have been more sympathetic to the guy, but this comment section is portraying him as a hero for some reason.

[@pyromaniac709]

This shows how stupid people can turn with a couple of fancy words and good narrative

[@andrewvc1527]

And on top of that, he specifically went behind peoples backs to hide what he was doing. That shows he knew what he was doing was both reckless and dangerous, but he didn’t care. Of course the people around him didn’t trust him to do science anymore, he specifically showed that he didn’t care about safety and consequences until it was too late. I mean, he could *easily* have killed himself, his parents, and quite a few neighbors if his Frankenstein core had gone supercritical. And scraping radium paint off dials with his hands, if he didn’t die so young, he’d have almost certainly developed cancer and died before his time anyway. The guy had potential, and yes he was absolutely failed by the people around him, but he doesn’t deserve the worship he’s getting in the comments here. Sooner or later, his recklessness would have killed someone.

[@simonbeech6073]

Thanks for adding that detail about his life afterward. It’s a detail most historians leave out. It’s a great cautionary tale for teachers. You don’t just engage to teach your subject. You engage to teach them life skills so they can learn how to be happy.

[@mattc3696]

What a marvelous story, Mr Fascinating. It shows how badly we need to meet the needs of every child, including the gifted.

[@zammie01]

A well put conclusion, tactfully delivered. His parents and people around him seemed more interested in his conformity rather than his individual brilliance. His early death could so possibly have been avoided.

[@jumpingjjonah8088]

What a great channel this is! These videos are so on point. Informative but engaging and without being sensationalist or trivialising the events. This should be a Netflix show. I'd watch it.

[@UnstablePax]

I have seen and read a lot about this guy, but you still informed me something. I don't know how I missed it, but I totally missed that he had already earned the merit badge. While I think I recall that he had done what was necessary, I believed that he hadn't gotten the badge as of yet. If David had been given more support after the incident, he probably would not have died so soon. What he did was dangerous and stupid, but the way he was treated after sealed his fate. Thank you for this video!

[@scottlarson1548]

Read the book "The Radioactive Boy Scout". It does gloss over many awful things he did but at least it does show that David was a naive and dangerous kid with symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder that pretty much led to his death.

[@njunderground82]

@@scottlarson1548 Yes! That was how I originally found out about this story, back in the late 90s. I had seen it at an independent bookstore and picked it up. It's a very interesting book.

[@scottlarson1548]

@@njunderground82 The book wanted us to believe that Hahn was a misguided all-American boy who wanted to impress his father by being a boy scout but his behavior even in the book really conflicted with that portrayal, at least to me. His subsequent arrests showed that he had some serious mental problems. In the last years of his life he apparently was doing Internet searches of his name constantly and would pop up in forums announcing himself as "The Radioactive Boy Scout" usually selling some tonic he invented.

[@kimt1776]

Poor David. He could've gone so far if he'd had some support 😢

[@pettyblood_]

i’m so glad you touched upon the failure of the school system here! that’s one of the things about this story that stands out to me the most

[@thatgnaralooguy]

Go and teach.

[@pettyblood_]

@@thatgnaralooguy I literally do. that’s my job. it’s not my job to build curriculum and policy, that’s the school board and state legislation.

[@TotoDG]

FH is so good at presenting these videos that he can make me interested in something I already read about, and I imagine this rings true for some other people as well.

[@jimmywilson1388]

I’ve never heard of him. Thanks for sharing this story. That’s absolutely amazing and scary at the same time…

[@80b]

So sad. Everyone in a position to guide and nuture this brilliant TEENAGER instead decided it was their job to punish and constrain him. And in doing so they killed him. How many more stories like this have gone untold?

[@Subject_Keter]

"We cant let this natural talent be useful! Can him! Why? Cuz i dont get paided how my students suceed! I get paided pre head!" I just dont get how people expect to get good anything if they find and kill it before it can even take off

[@stuartd9741]

I agree By shunning David he just wasn't able to grow emotionally or intellectually.. A sad loss.

[@blazingstarx137]

The "think what he could have done with the right guidance and encouragement" bit at the end was probably the most tragic thing

[@danyourman9]

This is a really sad story. What a smart kid. Could have gone on to do incredible things...

[@noahgeerdink5144]

Although he was certainly a very smart boy, I think this story shows how over estimated the complexity of nuclear science is. Although it is very complex to harness nuclear power in a SAFE way, it is really not that difficult to understand and make your own nuclear reactions. Nowadays it is more difficult to get nuclear materials than it was back then but I think many people are still capable of doing something like this boy did if they were able to obtain the right materials. Especially considering the amount of information that is currently available on the internet. There is even a whole tutorial on KZbin on how to make your own uranium by cody’s lab

[@Cramblit]

Despite how easy it is to come across this information, the fact it hasn't been done again already shows that it is not in-fact easy or within the realm of understanding for most kids these days.

[@theshermantanker7043]

@@Cramblit to be fair not many young people want to build a literal nuclear reactor in their backyard

[@christiangibson1867]

Yeah, it's complicated, but it's not outside the realm of possibility for someone with above average intelligence, but below average impulse control. Nuclear terrorism is taken very seriously by governments for this reason, it's within the realm of possibility, even if it hasn't happened yet.

[@LeBatteur]

@@Cramblit I think most “kids these days” are just well educated enough to realize that fucking around with radioactive materials in a non-professional environment is a really stupid idea.

[@janetdear6429]

😱 shockingly sad story, some of the things he did were dangerous, but I wonder why no saw that he was gifted in science and helped him, shame, may he rest in peace, 🙏 great video thanks 🖤

[@SheWearsShortSkirtsIEatPizza]

Its so rare that a school system, and subsequently, a community will see someone as gifted if they are good at one subject but lousy at the rest of them. It seems like you have to be amazing at everything, or nothing at all tonget any kind of guidance like what would have been great for him. Its unfortunate cause everyone has something they're good at and it should be nurtured.

[@soldierofodin70]

This guy was probably one of the most brilliant minds in 50 years and he was treated like a criminal. It's a sad story, and just proves that this world is in a downward spiral.

[@whaddyaa]

This is sad. It doesn't seem like he meant to cause any harm, he was just a curious and smart kid. Instead of just trying to suppress his curiosity he should've been guided into channeling it in a safe way.

[@Cosmic1900]

The amount of passion and aptitude he had for science at such a young age! Our world today is in very desperate need of people like him. He could have accomplished some truly history-defining feats if only he had been given the right direction. What a travesty...

[@stephenturner6075]

This story should be made into a film.

[@russrh]

You didn't cover his shed being an EPA super fund site. His parents should've perhaps been more involved in his early life.

[@JennRighter]

I have NEVER heard of this story. It's very tragic and what a loss to the world that he ended up taking the path he did. It doesn't seem that he was ever trying to hurt anyone.

[@WitchidWitchid]

This kid reminds me of myself to an extent. When I was about 17 Years old I became fascinated with Chemistry and I started ordering chemicals and lab apparatus and set up a home.lab. Some of the experiments I did were potentially dangerous but luckily I was cautious and nothing went wrong. I never messed with anything radioactive. But I can understand how someone could become really drawn into doing those types of experiments. Nuclear physics is a fascinating topic.

[@NickBartolo]

I love this channel. I am not a fan of true crime/horror content. But the quiet dignity these stories are treated with here is so refreshing compared to the typical lurid, sensationalism.

[@skeletonwguitar4383]

Ive always heard about the story about that kid who made nuclear magic in the shed, but never heard about the conclusion and what he did later in life Damn, this really brought the mood all the way down

[@don3com]

This is more fascinating sadness than horror... or just horrifically sad😕 that he was dismissed so easily as a "problem" than respected as a talented kid with an eagerness to learn

[@RaptureInRed]

I know this guy's story. And although what he did was dangerous and more than a bit crazy, I've always admired him.

[@jwenting]

yes, I could have been him in so many ways but ended up with a proper education (and a degree in physics specialising in nuclear waste classification) as my parents and teachers saw fit to guide me into safe channels for my drive.

[@BlazeDuskdreamer]

Why would you admire an @$$hole?

[@jcraigshelton]

@@BlazeDuskdreamer You aren’t that intelligent, are you?

[@stuartd9741]

@@BlazeDuskdreamer Blaze get that chip of your shoulder buddy.

[@BlazeDuskdreamer]

@@stuartd9741 Um, no. I do and will have a chip on my shoulders to those who are so irresponsible that they put others in dire danger. This world would be a far better place if people were actually held accountable for their actions instead of bl**ding heart idjits boo hooing and making excuses for them.

[@Spiceyspiney]

I had never heard this story before. It sounds like an incredibly intelligent young man and it's such a shame he didn't have the support and guidance he needed. I really appreciate how respectful your narrative was when talking about him.

[@isaacyoder4137]

"It was radioactive as heck!" -legendary quote hahaha

[@doclewis8927]

Too bad no one took an interest in him to help him prosper with his science endeavors. He probably could've done great things with the proper guidance.

[@Iceman44]

Another brilliantly narrated story. Keep up your excellent work.

[@manyyoumas]

as always, i appreciate the direction in which you took with telling the story and your narration.

[@LampP0st]

He was so brilliant, if only someone had recognized this and let him continue to do science in a safe professional environment instead of being locked away from his passion.

[@robertanderson4602]

Tragic. If this kid had been more well off, he'd probably be a top scientist now.

[@dmhendricks]

I don't think his family was poor, if that's what you're getting at.

[@cvn6555]

I don't think so. He was troubled and didn't fit in with anyone. He just simply could not act normal enough to be around most people. I don't say that as an insult but as a matter of fact. No matter what opportunities had may have had I think he would have eventually drifted. (I was on the Big E the same time as him and he had trouble with basic things that most of us have no issues with.)

[@CarmenFiala]

@@cvn6555 the video literally said he had a good home life and no shortage of friends. he wasn't some loner kid abused to become psychotic

[@cvn6555]

@@CarmenFiala He spent many afternoons alone in his shed building things. Not something a kid with lots of friends do. On our Navy ship he was in trouble all the time for not adhering to simple rules like personal hygiene. You'd walk past him in the p-way and he would look like he just rolled out of bed, disheveled and greasy. He had legitimate gripes about the Navy but he made things incredibly hard for himself.

[@izools]

A highly active, curious and capable mind surrounded by lesser able people who didn't understand him, blaming the aspects of him they don't understand on something being wrong with him. Skill and intelligence is a gift to be nurtured, not something to be suppressed and questioned. Rest in Peace sir. And thank you for your service.

[@farmerlamb2372]

If he'd have been nurtured, he could have gone on to do great things!

[@tgroves7549]

Wow the way you wrapped up this story really hit me in the feels... such a sad story, a brilliant mind wasted.

[@jasonmcalister5282]

You said it all at the end! If he was around the right place and people he could've done great stuff

[@ceejno7861]

Okay, it's clear he was a genius, and an unappreciated one at that. I definitely don't approve of the way he was treated after. But I don't think it's completely fair to treat him as a harmless tinkerer who was done dirty. Let's not forget, he knew what he was doing. He knew it was dangerous, and he knew it was illegal, too, based on how he responded to questioning by law enforcement. He was playing with fire on his parents' property, endangering their health as well as his own, all while being smart enough to know better. As tragic as his life was, let's not erase all responsibility here. I wouldn't have wanted this guy around a nuclear engine either.

[@xxboonisbadfortnitexx1549]

Yelp

[@xxboonisbadfortnitexx1549]

True

[@KitKat_293]

I do see him as similar to other troubled youth who commit crimes. Still responsible, aware what they’re doing is wrong, but likely not fully comprehending why and to what extent. And best case I want to see young people like this turn things around, and believe they can. I think a lot of people in his life giving up on him after this was one of the most detrimental things. And not the way to handle it at all

[@mschrisfrank2420]

He was still a kid and clearly hadn’t known the extent of the danger. And honestly, if you have to move your kids lab outside because of previous explosions and possible fires…well, his parents clearly weren’t giving him the care and attention he needed or finding someone who could.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

As the radiation was spreading outside of his shed and mom's yard, he was also endangering the life and health of others, which he apparently recognized and began dismantling the material. He may have died of drug and alcohol abuse, but judging by that mug shot, it only shortened the inevitable by a few years. RIP anyway.