Class Audio Activity: What other Detectors Do
Nuclear Forensic Professionals Use?
Additional Resources
Teacher Notes
Teacher Notes
NPR News Report
The GM tubes the students use are similar to detectors used in the real world, but they are not the
only tools that are used. Tools that are more sensitive to gamma radiation and to neutron
radiation are also needed. To expose your students to the idea that there are many types of
detectors available to the nuclear forensics scientists, your students can listen to a report by NPR
reporter Mike Shuster. Mike Shuster interviews members of the Nuclear Emergency Support
Team in his story “Response Team Preps For Nuclear Terrorism Threat.” A transcript of the
interview as well as the audio version is available at
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98286925&sc=emaf, or you may conduct
an internet search using the key words, “NPR, Shuster interviews, nuclear emergency support
team.”