The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency has some very bad news today announcing that thieves in Mexico have stolen a truck carrying dangerous radioactive materials from a hospital in Tijuana. The UN referred to the stolen materials as “extremely dangerous.” The substance in question, cobalt-60, is often used in hospitals for radiotherapy and sterilizing instruments and could be further used to construct a dirty bomb.
Mexican authorities are conducting a search for the suspects. According to the UN:
At the time the truck was stolen, the source was properly shielded. However, the source could be extremely dangerous to a person if removed from the shielding, or if it was damaged.
via Gizmodo