Galen Winsor was an American chemist and nuclear plant safety manager who claimed that radioactive materials are harmless and that there is a conspiracy by an energy cartel to misinform the public about the dangers of nuclear power. He became famous for his controversial lectures and demonstrations, in which he ate, drank, and swam in radioactive substances. He died in 2008, allegedly from leukemia.
Early Life and Career
Galen Hulet Winsor was born on June 4, 1926, in Morgan, Utah. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) and graduated from Brigham Young University in 1947. He served in the Navy during World War II and later worked as a chemist and nuclear plant safety manager at various locations, including Hanford, Washington; Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Morris, Illinois; San Jose, California; and Wilmington, New Jersey. He was in charge of measuring and controlling the nuclear fuel inventory and storage at these facilities.
Nuclear Scare Scam
In the 1980s, Winsor became a vocal critic of the strict regulations and controls on nuclear energy, which he believed were based on false assumptions and misinformation. He argued that radioactive materials are not as dangerous as commonly perceived, and that they can be safely handled and used without any adverse effects on human health or the environment. He also claimed that there is a conspiracy by an energy cartel, consisting of government agencies, corporations, and environmental groups, to create fear and hysteria among the public about nuclear power, in order to maintain their monopoly and profits. He accused them of fabricating incidents such as the 1979 partial meltdown of a reactor at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania, and of using programs for the apparent disposal of radioactive waste as a cover for disposing of human bodies.
To support his claims, Winsor performed various stunts and experiments, such as eating uranium oxide, drinking water from a nuclear reactor, and swimming in a pool of water with Cherenkov radiation. He claimed that he did not experience any negative effects from these actions, and that he had been doing them for years. He also showed that he could detect and measure the radiation levels of various objects and materials, such as watches, smoke detectors, and granite countertops, using a Geiger counter. He said that these levels were insignificant and harmless, and that the natural background radiation was much higher than the artificial sources.
Winsor gave lectures and presentations on his views and demonstrations, which were funded by the American Opinion Speakers Bureau, a committee of the John Birch Society, a conservative and anti-communist organization. He also produced a video titled “The Nuclear Scare Scam” in 1985, in which he summarized his arguments and experiments. He challenged anyone to prove him wrong or to show any evidence of harm caused by radiation.
Death and Legacy
Winsor died on July 19, 2008, in West Richland, Washington. According to some sources, he died from leukemia, a type of cancer that affects the blood cells and is often associated with exposure to radiation. However, this has not been confirmed, and some of his supporters have disputed this claim, suggesting that he was killed by the energy cartel or that he died from natural causes.
Winsor’s views and actions have been widely criticized and rejected by the scientific and medical communities, as well as by the general public. He has been described as a kook, a crank, a quack, and a fraud, who endangered himself and others by his irresponsible and reckless behavior. He has been accused of ignoring or misrepresenting the overwhelming evidence of the harmful effects of radiation, such as mutations, cancers, and deaths, that have been documented and observed in various cases, such as the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Chernobyl disaster, and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. He has also been accused of having a personal agenda and a financial motive for his claims, as he was reportedly paid by the nuclear industry and the John Birch Society for his lectures and videos.
However, Winsor also has some supporters and admirers, who consider him a hero, a pioneer, and a martyr, who exposed the truth and challenged the status quo. They believe that he was right about the safety and benefits of nuclear power, and that he was persecuted and silenced by the energy cartel and the mainstream media. They claim that he was a victim of a smear campaign and a conspiracy, and that his death was either faked or orchestrated by his enemies. They also claim that he proved his point by living a long and healthy life, despite his exposure to radiation.
Galen Winsor remains a controversial and divisive figure, who has sparked a lot of debate and controversy over the issues of nuclear power and radiation. His wiki page is a source of information and discussion for those who are interested in his life and views.