Generally, scientists are trying to find ways to make animals less radioactive, not more.
But in some cases radioactivity is apparently desirable?
BBC has the irradiated scoop:
South African scientists have launched an anti-poaching campaign in which rhino's horns will be injected with a radioactive material.
The group, from the University of the Witwatersrand, said the process is harmless to rhinos but will allow customs officers to detect smuggled horns as they're transported across the world.
Scientists: "Don't worry, making the rhino horns radioactive won't harm the rhinos!"
Also scientists:
Well, presumably they know what they're doing. Hopefully. I guess the rhinos will be the first to find out.
Evidently the process involves drilling into a rhino horn and placing the radioactive material directly into the drill hole.
Earlier tests in a pilot project "confirmed that the radioactive material was not harmful to the animals," so it looks like they're on solid ground.
'We have demonstrated, beyond scientific doubt, that the process is completely safe for the animal and effective in making the horn detectable through international customs nuclear security systems,' said James Larkin a professor at Wits University who is also part of the project.
Apparently the scientists just couldn't resist, however, when they gave the project a very appropriate name:
The Rhisotope Project
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