# Why Kill With Polonium ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 28, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015 "2006-11-28T01:18:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/1 "2006-11-28T01:18:25Z")
The death of the unfortunate ex-KGB agent in London is now known to be from the ingestion of the radioactive element polonium. Why would such an exotic poison be used? The radioactivity is detectable, and the guy took several days to die-why not use something that kills quickly-like ricin or an injection of insulin? Anyway, has the CIA ever used polonium? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/2 "2006-11-28T01:28:33Z")
I heard it opined by some radio or TV analyst that the use of polonium suggests government insiders, as terrorists, rogue profiteers, etc., are unlikely to be able to get hold of something so arcane. My take is they wanted the guy to know they were KGB, and they wanted him to suffer as much as possible. Ie: they were seriously pissed. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/3 "2006-11-28T01:39:57Z")
It could also be to create a ‘chilling effect’ against other ex-spies and dissidents. Death by radiation meant that the guy had days to lie in a hospital bed dying as the media swarmed around, making sure that everyone understood the penalty for stepping out of line. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/4 "2006-11-28T02:19:55Z")
I figured they used polonium because rosencrantzium is so rare and hard to find, and it’s just about impossible to discretely administer guildensternium. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/5 "2006-11-28T02:22:33Z")
The previous assassination was ricin on the tip of an umbrella (back in the 70’s, I think?). Worked faster and just as effective. Speculation now is that he killed _himself_. Sorry, but I don’t buy into that. Too much of a trail would be left getting a hold of that shit, and the guy strikes me as being smarter than that. It will make a hell of a movie, once all the research is done. Sorry if I sound a bit cynical, but I think this guy _had_ to know this was coming. Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/6 "2006-11-28T02:46:54Z")
[QUOTE=Quasimodem] The previous assassination was ricin on the tip of an umbrella (back in the 70’s, I think?). Worked faster and just as effective. Speculation now is that he killed _himself_. Sorry, but I don’t buy into that. Too much of a trail would be left getting a hold of that shit, and the guy strikes me as being smarter than that. It will make a hell of a movie, once all the research is done. Sorry if I sound a bit cynical, but I think this guy _had_ to know this was coming. Quasi [/QUOTE] Sorry if \*I[/i sound a bit cynical, but I’m sure that whatever the ‘previous assasination’ was, it was a lot more recent than the 1970’s. Personally, I think this was Russia’s way of making sure everyone knows they killed him, yet no one can prove it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/7 "2006-11-28T03:40:58Z")
Litvinenko was killed by polonium 210, by the way, not just regular polonium - it’s an isotope. [QUOTE=ralph124c] Anyway, has the CIA ever used polonium? [/QUOTE] Has _anybody_ **ever** used polonium? The answer is “no,” as far as I’m aware, and I know that one British expert on this case said he’d never seen anything like it. > [@Absolute](#): > > Sorry if \*I[/i sound a bit cynical, but I’m sure that whatever the ‘previous assasination’ was, it was a lot more recent than the 1970’s. A Russian journalist named Yuri Shchekochikhin died in 2003 of thallium poisoning. That’s a great deal more recent than the Markov case. And then there’s the poisoning of Viktor Yushchenko, although nobody knows who did that. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/8 "2006-11-28T04:23:14Z")
Sorry for the confusing (mis) information. This is the reference to what I posted: [http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/01/07/terror.poison.bulgarian/](http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/01/07/terror.poison.bulgarian/) Q ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/9 "2006-11-28T04:25:18Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] Why would such an exotic poison be used? [/QUOTE] To put a clear signature on the deed, deniable only by moonbats but not explicitly proveable, thus enhancing the chilling effect on others. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/10 "2006-11-28T14:10:14Z")
The use of Polonium also baffled the doctors, who might have had a chance against a more conventional poison. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/11 "2006-11-28T15:26:36Z")
Nobody Expects the Irradiatition Another vote for a chilling threat from Spooksburg for any that’d consider crossing over. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/12 "2006-11-28T16:17:36Z")
[QUOTE=Evil Captor] I figured they used polonium because rosencrantzium is so rare and hard to find, and it’s just about impossible to discretely administer guildensternium. [/QUOTE] Why that’s as purty as a baby pig…ya know…a Hamlet…😃 ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/13 "2006-11-28T16:42:54Z")
[QUOTE=Steve MB] To put a clear signature on the deed, deniable only by moonbats but not explicitly proveable, thus enhancing the chilling effect on others. [/QUOTE] Moonbats like [these?](http://www.rathergood.com/moon_song/) (Video with audio loads immediately) ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/14 "2006-11-28T17:06:53Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] I heard it opined by some radio or TV analyst that the use of polonium suggests government insiders, as terrorists, rogue profiteers, etc., are unlikely to be able to get hold of something so arcane. [/QUOTE] You can [order palonium](http://www.unitednuclear.com/isotopes.htm) on the internet. However, I’ve read on blogs (so its true) that the amount you can buy is far below the lethal dose. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/15 "2006-11-28T17:30:19Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] I heard it opined by some radio or TV analyst that the use of polonium suggests government insiders, as terrorists, rogue profiteers, etc., are unlikely to be able to get hold of something so arcane. [/QUOTE] I do not know how much it takes for a lethal dose but “arcane” almost puts it mildly. This stuff seems very rare: > [@](#): > > A very rare element in nature, polonium is found in uranium ores at about 100 micrograms per metric ton (1:1010). Its natural abundance is approximately 0.2% of the abundance of radium. > > \ > > Only about 100 grams is believed to be produced each year, making polonium exceedingly rare. > > SOURCE: [Polonium - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polonium) ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/16 "2006-11-28T21:41:42Z")
[QUOTE=Evil Captor] I figured they used polonium because rosencrantzium is so rare and hard to find, and it’s just about impossible to discretely administer guildensternium. [/QUOTE] … and ophelium is not even poisonous. ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/17 "2006-11-28T22:33:49Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] And then there’s the poisoning of Viktor Yushchenko, although nobody knows who did that. [/QUOTE] And Yushchenko was done with dioxin. I think the new and improved KGB’s calling card is never the same poison twice. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/18 "2006-11-28T22:57:07Z")
[QUOTE=CurtC] … and ophelium is not even poisonous. [/QUOTE] It’s actually really good. Melon flavored. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/19 "2006-11-29T00:02:35Z")
[QUOTE=CurtC] … and ophelium is not even poisonous. [/QUOTE] It does cause madness, however. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015/20 "2006-11-29T00:12:05Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] It could also be to create a ‘chilling effect’ against other ex-spies and dissidents. Death by radiation meant that the guy had days to lie in a hospital bed dying as the media swarmed around, making sure that everyone understood the penalty for stepping out of line. [/QUOTE] Absolutely. Whether or not this came from anywhere near the top, it’s made every meaningful critic of the current top brass take a long hard look. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-kill-with-polonium/382015.md?page=2)