Luke_A_Somers comments on Being Half-Rational About Pascal's Wager is Even Worse - Less Wrong
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But they made Pu-239 in time for WW2. Did that rely on reactor-grade U-235? Even if they did use reactor-grade U-235 to make it, could they have just stuck it near some other neutron emitter?
Yes, Fermi engineered the nuclear reactor (and very carefully too, with very well thought out safety system for it, just in case there would be a positive feedback of some kind), using natural uranium and graphite. Other neutron emitters would be very very very expensive. edit: e.g. an accelerator would need ridiculous amounts of electrical energy. The lab emitter used radium in combination with lithium, beryllium, or some other light nuclei, which isn't a viable route either.