HOWTO build an Americium 241 driven random number generator =========================================================== As a showcase I'll demonstrate the creation of my device below. You'll need a couple of things to build an Americium 241 driven random number generator (rng). ###First things first though **[Americium 241](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americium) is NOT A TOY!** It's a transuranic radioactive chemical element. Respect working with it: - Do not swallow it - Don't wear it on your body - Avoid touching it - At best work in a safe environment (like a lab) - Do not eat while working with it - Keep in a closed steel or aluminium container, when not working with it This being said, **I am not** responsible for any harm inflicted on you due to mal-handling of Americium 241! Don't be a fool, work responsibly! ###Materials ####Americium 241 If you're living in the Americas, you'll most likely still have [ionization smoke detectors](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americium#Ionization_detectors) around. For (mostly) everyone else, there's the possibility of ordering Americium on ebay! As I live in Germany I opted for the second option (ionization detectors are not used in private households anymore). My sample came in a nice and useful shape: ####Webcam