Skeptoid

Skeptoid #1027: Radioactive Relics: The Missing RTGs

February 10, 2026

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  • Abandoned Soviet RTGs, primarily the strontium-90 powered Beta-M model used for remote navigation beacons, pose a significant, ongoing radiological hazard in Russia and have led to severe accidents when scavenged for scrap metal. 
  • Unlike the numerous, often stolen or vandalized Russian RTGs, American terrestrial RTGs (which included safer plutonium-238 models) were generally better secured and maintained, with nearly all accounted for, except for one lost unit on India's Nunda Devi Mountain. 
  • The primary danger comes from strontium-90 RTGs, as the plutonium-238 RTGs used by the US are inherently safer due to alpha particle emission, which is easily shielded and only harmful if ingested. 

Segments

Introduction to Radioactive Relics
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(00:00:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Rumors persist globally, especially concerning Russia, about abandoned RTGs spreading radioactivity and causing environmental and human damage.
  • Summary: Radioactive nuclear generators called RTGs have been left abandoned around the world, particularly in Russia, leading to concerns about spreading radioactivity. Skeptoid will investigate the truth behind these cautionary tales. Premium members will receive extended content focusing on a notorious American RTG case abroad.
Sponsor Messages and Show ID
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(00:00:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Odoo offers a single, connected platform for enterprise apps, and Warby Parker provides an affordable, one-stop shop for vision needs.
  • Summary: Odoo consolidates business software needs, including accounting and inventory, onto a single, simple platform to save costs. Warby Parker offers prescription glasses and sunglasses, virtual try-ons, eye exams, and insurance acceptance. The host identifies himself as Brian Dunning from Skeptoid.com.
Russian Arctic RTG Deployment
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(00:02:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Over 1,000 Soviet RTGs, mostly Beta-M models containing 280 grams of strontium-90, were installed along the Arctic coast to power remote radio beacons.
  • Summary: The remote Arctic coast of Russia required shore-based radio beacons for navigation along the Northern Sea route, necessitating independent power sources. By the late 1980s, the Soviet Union installed over 1,000 RTGs, typically the Beta-M model, which produced 10 watts of power for 10 to 20 years using strontium-90 decay heat. Hundreds of these barrel-sized devices are estimated to remain abandoned in the Russian wilderness.
Leah Radiological Accident Case
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(00:04:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Three woodcutters in Georgia suffered acute radiation poisoning after gathering around unshielded strontium cores stolen from an RTG, resulting in one death and severe hospitalization for another.
  • Summary: Vandalism and theft of RTGs have led to serious incidents, such as the 2001 Leah Radiological Accident where woodcutters found unshielded strontium cores. The cores, which were heavy metal bars, were mistaken for a campfire, causing severe radiation exposure within hours. The thief who initially disassembled the RTG, requiring cutting torches to breach the one-ton steel shielding, likely died without medical attention.
Other Documented Russian Incidents
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(00:05:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Numerous documented cases exist of unsecured Russian RTGs being found at bus stops, run over by vehicles, or targeted by individuals attempting to use them for heating or scrap metal.
  • Summary: Leaving thousands of radioactive cores unguarded resulted in multiple incidents, including an unshielded core found at a Leningrad bus stop in 1999 and another damaged by reindeer herders in Chukotka, leaving an acute radiological hazard for years. In 2001, four people were hospitalized after attempting to scavenge an RTG lighthouse in Murmansk, leading officials to find three more similarly stripped units nearby.
Reporting and Scope of the Problem
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(00:07:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Official reports confirm numerous missing, damaged, or stripped RTGs, but these reports are incomplete, suggesting many more unknown incidents have occurred.
  • Summary: Reports from organizations like the IAEA and the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority document many cases where RTG-powered beacons are missing, damaged, or stripped of metal and wiring. These reports emphasize that the documented incidents are incomplete, meaning additional unknown events involving these radioactive sources have certainly taken place.
Skeptoid Adventure Promotion
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(00:08:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Skeptoid is hosting a sailing adventure in the Mediterranean in April 2026 aboard the SV Royal Clipper with archaeologist Dr. Flint Dibble.
  • Summary: The event is a unique opportunity to sail with the host and Dr. Flint Dibble, discussing their experiences on Joe Rogan. The trip sails from Málaga, Spain, to Nice, France, featuring a skeptical mini-conference and expert commentary on archaeology at each port. Bookings are available at skeptoid.com/adventures, and cabins sell out quickly.
Museum Advocacy Day Call
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(00:10:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Listeners are encouraged to contact Congress via Museum Advocacy Day to ensure continued federal support for museums that strengthen local economies and spark curiosity.
  • Summary: Museums are vital for protecting shared history, supporting job training, and strengthening local economies. Museum Advocacy Day is a national event urging people to contact Congress for continued federal funding support. Action details can be found at AAM-US.org.
US Terrestrial RTG Deployment
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(00:10:43)
  • Key Takeaway: The US deployed an estimated 100 to 150 terrestrial RTGs, mostly strontium-90 powered Sentinel-Series units, all accounted for or removed by 2000, with the exception of one lost unit.
  • Summary: The US military operated RTGs, such as the 10 units powering the Burnt Mountain Seismic Observatory in Alaska until 2000, under strict security preventing theft or vandalism. Most US RTGs used strontium-90, but some, like the SNAP series, used plutonium-238, which is safer due to emitting easily stopped alpha particles rather than penetrating beta particles.
Plutonium-238 vs. Strontium-90 Comparison
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(00:12:19)
  • Key Takeaway: Plutonium-238 RTGs are superior for space applications because their alpha radiation is easily shielded, they last three times longer (88-year half-life), and they output more power than strontium-90 units.
  • Summary: Plutonium-238 emits alpha particles (helium nuclei), which are damaging only over a short range and stopped by the skin’s outer layer, unlike strontium-90’s penetrating beta particles. This difference allows plutonium RTGs to require significantly less shielding, saving weight, and they have a much longer operational lifespan.
Examples of US RTG Locations
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(00:13:25)
  • Key Takeaway: US RTGs were deployed in diverse, remote locations including the Bering Sea, deep underwater off California, in the Caribbean, and extensively in Antarctica.
  • Summary: US deployments included SNAP-19 and Sentinel RTGs powering sensors in Alaska and a Sentinel-25 powering an underwater acoustic transmitter off San Diego. In Antarctica, US forces safely removed their RTGs in the early 2000s, though the Soviets had deployed about 800 there previously.
The Lost US RTG Scandal
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(00:16:47)
  • Key Takeaway: One US terrestrial RTG, intended for a listening station on India’s Nunda Devi Mountain to spy on China, was lost due to a landslide and remains unaccounted for.
  • Summary: The US lost only one terrestrial RTG, which was left on Nunda Devi Mountain after bad weather halted its installation, subsequently disappearing in a landslide or avalanche. Despite pseudo-scientific claims in India about melting glaciers and poisoning the Ganges, experts consider negative health impacts virtually non-existent because the strontium fuel capsules are encased in durable tantalum and Haynes 25 alloy.
Conclusion and Call to Action
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(00:18:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Strontium-90 RTGs pose a substantial, active risk, and continued worry is necessary unless Russia implements deep systemic changes in managing these devices.
  • Summary: The primary concern remains the strontium-90 RTGs, which are actively causing harm today due to poor management in Russia. The host thanks Chip Taylor for background information and directs listeners to premium content for more details on the Nunda Devi RTG. Premium members support the nonprofit sustainability of Skeptoid.
Final Credits and Endorsement
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(00:20:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Skeptoid provides verified facts on topics like UFOs, and the show is listener-supported with production managed by Kathy Reitmeyer and music by Lee Sanders.
  • Summary: Listeners can watch the host’s award-winning documentary, The UFO Movie They Don’t Want You to See, at the UFO.movie. Skeptoid is a production of Skeptoid Media, with operations managed by Kathy Reitmeyer and marketing by Jake Young. The show is available on major podcast platforms.