This was nicely explained by former nuclear submarine commander [1].
A nuclear detonation presents multiple risks/dangers, on multiple time scales. One of the longer term dangers is the dispersion of radioactive material over a large area, resulting in that area becoming uninhabitable. That is what the author is describing. They're not trying to scare you into thinking the material is going to explode
I remember thinking this before I saw the thunderf00t video on this. Misinformation like this sticks.
The article is less clear (though they specifically say 'bomb' further perpetuating the myth), but it opens by referring to the HBO special as if it were fact. I think you're probably right (and the author is probably just equally confused as I was previously) but their intent doesn't change the fact that misinformation is being perpetuated.
I get frustrated that artistic license is taken with stuff like this and end up perpetuating harmful misunderstanding. HBO made a great entertaining show but they probably should have been more careful on this side of things.
Hah! I was just going to add the following to my comment:
You're both making the same category of error. The author assumes everybody knows he's talking about radioactive dispersion. You're assuming everybody thinks he's talking about explosion potential.
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I have nothing to add about any other potential misinformation - here or elsewhere. I just think this particular instance chalks up to sloppiness
It really frustrates me when a show that contains many significant factual errors [0] (e.g. the exploding like a nuclear bomb thing, a very harmful error) is then used as a basis for a factual column.
Now I don't really trust the contents of the article.
And here we see the same kind of misrepresentation:
"but they also spread these pieces all over the street on the way to the dumpster and left basically a bomb of cobalt-60. Bear that in mind."
This 'nuclear energy is like a nuclear bomb' delusion is really harmful and pushes a narrative that many ordinary believe - if you use nuclear material for non-weapon purposes it risks behaving like a nuclear weapon. Journalists should take some responsibility for this kind of thing - it has very real impacts on public perception of nuclear and therefore govt decision making.
[0]:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsdLDFtbdrA