Futuris reporter Denis Loctier looks at the work of the ‘atomic detectives,’ scientists that keep us safe from the risk of radioactive criminality :“Nuclear terrorism is a growing threat, as more extremist organisations get closer to obtaining materials for a bomb. So, what can we do about it?”

Another day at a European border checkpoint.Radiation detectors raise the alarm. A truck is searched. Now why would someone conceal military-grade uranium in the bags of naturally radioactive fertilizer.

Jean Galy is the EUSECTRA Training centre coordinator, JRC-ITU: “If there is a buyer then, then you have a market and you can make a lot of money. Then there are those who want to carry out a terrorist attack, they can use the material to make a dirty bomb, a radio-active bomb or something else.”

The investigation begins. Clues like the contacts on the driver’s mobile phone lead to an address where the operation was planned. At the crime scene, a nuclear forensics team uses special equip