Australia's radioactive capsule: searching scientists were quietly confident

FILE PHOTO: A view shows the area where a radioactive capsule was found, near Newman, Australia, February 1, 2023. Western Australian Department Of Fire And Emergency Services/Handout via REUTERS

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The task was daunting: find a tiny radioactive capsule that had fallen off a truck somewhere in Western Australia's vast outback sometime in January.

It was described by media and officials alike as searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack, but experts involved in the hunt were upbeat about their prospects.