What if You Swam in a Nuclear Storage Pool?

A nuclear storage pool is also called a spent fuel pool. They are used for cooling used fuel assemblies from nuclear reactors, and they are at least 40 feet deep. But with the nuclear stuff at the bottom, I wouldn't even think of swimming in one. You shouldn't, either, because you would probably be arrested. But how dangerous is it? In the latest episode of his What If? series, Randall Munroe collaborated with Henry Reich of MinutePhysics to look into this hypothetical question. You may be surprised at what they learned about nuclear storage pools as they researched this question from a reader. (via Laughing Squid)