US conducts subcritical nuclear test: Krakatau

The Energy Department has confirmed the United States has carried out a subcritical nuclear experiment at an underground test site in Nevada on Thursday (2/23/06).
The test was aimed at gathering ''scientific data that provides crucial information to maintain the safety and reliability of... nuclear weapons without having to conduct underground nuclear tests,'' the department said.

Some anti-nuclear groups are concerned that the Bush administration is trying to accelerate its efforts to develop new nuclear arms through such tests.
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It's true...here is the National Nuclear Security Administration's Press Release

Note: The press release says that no nuclear explosions can occur during a non-critical test, but putting plutonium and chemical explosives together is a bad mix. For example, in 1963, a nuclear excursion occurred during a similar test. Nuclear excursion is what instigated the Chernobyl accident.