Plutonium Powered Pacemaker (1974)

Meatpie

Meatpie
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"Pacemakers are used to stimulate a regular heartbeat when the body's natural electrical pacing system is irregular or not transmitting properly. Over the years, various power sources have been used for pacemakers, including thermoelectric batteries containing 2 to 4 curies of... more

Reviewed by jasonstone Mar 22 2009, 05:25pm ( 34 reviews ) • orau.org

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Rated by data635 on Jul 16, 2:27pm

This is the same power source used in Michal Crichton's The Terminal Man.
Rated by ksaki on Jul 13, 6:30pm

Makes you feel warm inside.
Reviewed by MJN8 on Jul 02, 12:14am

If I had to have a pacemaker, I'd definitely have a nuclear powered one. One step closer to the bionic man.
Rated by Tras-Drez on Jun 30, 4:53am

bullet proof radioactive heart. to be fair i probably get a higher dose of radiation every time i shower being that i live in Plymouth and all of the cities reservoirs are located on Dartmoor (natural source of both deuterium and tritium and very high levels of arsenic).
Rated by smocking on Jun 11, 12:08pm

Plutonium-238's decay chain is entirely made up of alpha emitters, so this isn't nearly as scary as it sounds. Alpha particles are unlikely to make it through a sheet of paper, let alone a metal casing. I'm willing to bet that, for a patient, in the long run this is a lot safer than the extra surgery needed for regular battery replacement, especially in the 70's when chemical batteries weren't as efficient.
Rated by Nish0 on Jun 08, 7:05am

Wow, this is like a moment of enlightenment!
Rated by Coheed on May 05 2009, 3:46pm

Given that 5-20 rems per year (not .5-.20) is the current "safe" value, these aren't as scary as they sound. Still, wild.

Installing is Easy!