I was really pretty disturbed to read this story, which was delivered with such open enthusiasm for the scientific work it represented - but absolutely NO mention of how freaking LOONIE it is that there is weapons-grade plutonium lying about in fairly unsecured locations.

Now, I'm all for the idea that we should have the ability to trace where such dangerous materials originated, so we can track how someone might lay their hands on them - if the materials are found BEFORE they are used.

But, my fear is now the genie is out of the bottle.  There are plenty of lunatics roaming the earth, who, once they get wind of this unearthed PU-239 just sitting in buried safe will start their own treasure hunt for other such materials.  Enriched cobalt, for instance, would make a MIGHTY fine dirty bomb.  And it is used in medical applications all over the country.

Sure, exposure to this stuff will KILL you - eventually.  But we're talking the types of lunatic fringe who will commit suicide and blow themselves to kingdom come - not someone who is going to use caution that they not be harmed by their actions.