The Goiânia accident was certainly extraordinary but I was surprised to learn from a recent Guardian article how common the loss of radioactive sources actually is.
There, Dr Edward Obbard an expert from UNSW Sidney university was interviewed on the occasion of the lost capsule in Australia. The article says:
"The search for the missing capsule captured the world’s imagination, but Obbard says radioactive material goes awol about 100 times a year around the world."
Also the fact that there are at least eight nuclear bombs that have been lost and never found is always chilling. And these are only the ones from western countries we know about...
There, Dr Edward Obbard an expert from UNSW Sidney university was interviewed on the occasion of the lost capsule in Australia. The article says:
"The search for the missing capsule captured the world’s imagination, but Obbard says radioactive material goes awol about 100 times a year around the world."
Also the fact that there are at least eight nuclear bombs that have been lost and never found is always chilling. And these are only the ones from western countries we know about...
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/03/relative...