[Lee Stewart]

Alfred Gilbert was something of a celebrity in 1950s America thanks to his popular range of educational toys. However, his company caused quite a stir in 1951 when it released the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab, a science kit that allowed children to create nuclear reactions using radioactive chemicals. The kit came complete with several types of uranium, which is one of the ingredients in nuclear bombs. Unsurprisingly, safety concerns – it was known as "the world's most dangerous toy" – led to the toys being pulled from shelves, although 5,000 had been sold by then.