Criticality Memes

Physicists in the early nuclear age really said "safety equipment? Never heard of her!" Those hemispheres are literal plutonium cores used in nuclear weapons development, and scientists would handle them with basically zero protection. The "demon core" famously killed two physicists when they accidentally initiated brief criticality events by dropping a neutron reflector or using a screwdriver to prop one up. Just casually playing with potential nuclear chain reactions like they're appetizers at a fancy restaurant. "Yes, I'll have another serving of lethal radiation, please!"