Plenty of people have done some not-so-smart things in history. Although you might think that many of these people were adults, you’d be surprised at how many were teenagers like many of us here at FMS.  Teenagers have done quite amazing things in history, but some of their poor decisions are hilarious!

For example, David Charles Hahn built a small nuclear reactor in his mother’s garage. David was a young boy with great knowledge in chemistry. He wanted to learn more but didn’t know where to start.  He emailed many nuclear physicists claiming to be a science teacher. Of course, in the name of science, they gave him everything he needed to know to build a nuclear reactor in his backyard. He then did so for his “Nuclear Science Merit Badge” for the Boy Scouts. Hahn successfully created a nuclear reactor in his mother’s backyard. Of course, he soon realized that this was not a smart decision for a multitude of reasons, such as the cops showing up!  He immediately told them not to touch any chemistry bottles since they were extremely radioactive. In the end, all of the materials were confiscated.

Following this incident, Colton Harris-Moore, better known as the “Barefoot Bandit”, was born on Camano Island.  His career as a thief began when he was just 12 years old!  He’s known for stealing up to 100 speedboats, bicycles, aircraft, and other vehicles. He is also famous for not wearing shoes. He would even take time to draw fake foot tracks as if he was a cartoon character. However, he was eventually captured and served time in prison. As of 2016, after his prison term, he was trying to make a (legal) career as an airline pilot, but his current whereabouts are unknown.

In conclusion, what is the lesson we can learn from these stories? Although these stories have an entertainment factor, it is also important to realize that actions have consequences. So next time you make a decision, remember that what goes around comes around!

Works Cited

Holden, Brad. “True Crime: The Barefoot Bandit.” HistoryLink.org, 20 September 2022, https://www.historylink.org/File/22562. Accessed 7 February 2023.

Kolba, Andrew. “The Wild Story Of David Hahn, The ‘Radioactive Boy Scout’ Who Tried To Build A Nuclear Reactor In His Backyard.” All That’s Interesting, 16 November 2022, https://allthatsinteresting.com/david-hahn. Accessed 7 February 2023.