David Hahn built a small nuclear reactor in a backyard shed in suburban Detroit in 1994. He had to shut it down after the authorities noticed. In 2007 he was caught stealing smoke detectors, possibly for the small amounts of radioactive substances contained within, and sentenced to 90 days in gaol. (source)

Around the year 1900, fear of premature burial was very strong. In the early 1900s, Franz Hartmann claimed to have collected around 700 cases of either premature burial or "close calls". In 1896 the "Society for the Prevention of Premature Burial" was founded. In 1897, in Germany, a patent was granted for a device that sent up a warning flag and turned on a light if movement was detected inside the coffin. Modern technology eventually put an end to the premature burial fear. (source)

Although the tin can was patented in 1810 and in use for several years before that, the can opener was not invented until 1855 (source)