Wednesday, 2 March 2016 – Radioactivity (or how to love the atom) – by Jack Brettle
Jack gave a highly informative and entertaining talk about Radioactivity. He explained just what radiation is, the different types of radiation, and where it comes from. We encounter it in many forms not only in reactors and bombs, but also in medical instruments such as x-ray machines and MRI and PET scanners. We are constantly bombarded with radiation from the sun and outer space, and from radioactive radon gas released by uranium-bearing rocks and soil as the uranium undergoes natural radioactive decay.
Addressing such questions as How dangerous is it? Can you avoid it? and Should I worry about it? Jack put the relative risks associated with different types and sources of radiation into perspective, finally dispelling the myth that eating too many bananas is a radiation health hazard.
Last Updated on September 9, 2021