Ionizing Radiation
We live in a sea of radiation - Bodner research lab
image by: Shiraz Ahmed SiddiquiRadiologistan
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Who's afraid of radiation?
THE word “radiation” frightens people, and little wonder. Ever since the cold war, the prevailing view has been that ionising radiation can do real harm to us without being seen or felt – and should be avoided at all costs. In fact radiation is much less harmful than we feared. Given the availability of carbon-free nuclear power, this makes a sea change in our view of radiation rather urgent.
Fear of radiation grew alongside descriptions of what might happen in the event of a nuclear war. In earlier decades there was genuine scientific uncertainty about radiation’s long-term health effects, and scientists were unable to be reassuring. So, driven by universal popular concern,…
Resources
Radiation Dose in X-Ray and CT Exams
Comparisons of effective radiation dose with background radiation exposure for several radiological procedures.
Explainer: the difference between radiation and radioactivity
As we have seen, radioactive decay is a property of a particular nucleus. In comparison, radiation is a possible consequence of many processes, not just radioactivity. Radiation is the term given to a travelling particle or wave and can be split into three main types...
Extremely powerful cosmic rays are raining down on us. No one knows where they come from
But with large-scale experiments, scientists around the world are determined to find out.
Health Impacts of Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation: Current Scientific Debates and Regulatory Issues
Ionizing radiation plays an important role in the modern world. The use of X-rays brought about a revolution in diagnostics. It is difficult to imagine modern medical care without X-ray imaging, including computed tomography (CT) scans, and nuclear medicine.
Just in case you missed it, here’s why radiation is a health hazard
The March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan and complicating nuclear crisis throw into sharp focus concerns about exposure to ionising radiation. What is it, how is it harmful, how much is too much?
When Televisions Were Radioactive
Anxieties about the effects of screens on human health are hardly new, but the way the public addresses the problems has changed. An Object Lesson.
Do Small Amounts Of Radiation Matter?
Yes, indeed, but not the way you might think. It turns out we need a little bit of radiation to function in tip-top shape. And it’s all about our genes. The latest studies from New Mexico State University demonstrate that the absence of radiation is not good for organisms.
Exactly What Happens When Your Body Is Exposed to Radiation
During nuclear fallout, doses reach the equivalent of 3 million chest x-rays.
Space Radiation Storms
The NOAA Space Environment Center has defined five types of radiation storms, ranging from mild to extreme. Learn what effects these storms can have on Earth.
Who's afraid of radiation?
THE word “radiation” frightens people, and little wonder. Ever since the cold war, the prevailing view has been that ionising radiation can do real harm to us without being seen or felt – and should be avoided at all costs. In fact radiation is much less harmful than we feared. Given the availability of carbon-free nuclear power, this makes a sea change in our view of radiation rather urgent. …
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous substances and their health effects. This information is important because this substance may harm you.
Bodner Research Web
To understand the biological effects of radiation we must first understand the difference between ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation. In general, two things can happen when radiation is absorbed by matter: excitation or ionization.
Canadian Centre for National Occupational Health & Safety
Ionizing radiation is radiation that has enough energy to remove electrons from atoms or molecules when it passes through or collides with some material.
Deadly Radiation Hazards Database
This database is the end result of thousands of hours of research, analysis, and data input. Scores of federal and state documents were carefully combed through to obtain what we believe is the most complete list of significant nuclear facilities ever compiled.
International Commission on Radiological Protection
ICRP is an independent Registered Charity, established to advance for the public benefit the science of radiological protection, in particular by providing recommendations and guidance on all aspects of protection against ionising radiation.
International Radiation Protection Association
The primary purpose of IRPA is to provide a medium whereby those engaged in radiation protection activities in all countries may communicate more readily with each other and through this process advance radiation protection in many parts of the world.
NASA
Welcome to the NASA/GSFC Radiation Effects & Analysis Home Page!
U.S. Department of Labor
This page provides a starting point for technical and regulatory information regarding the recognition, evaluation, and control of occupational health hazards associated with ionizing radiation.
U.S. NRC
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was created as an independent agency by Congress in 1974 to ensure the safe use of radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while protecting people and the environment. The NRC regulates commercial nuclear power plants and other uses of nuclear materials, such as in nuclear medicine, through licensing, inspection and enforcement of its requirements.
United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation
Its mandate in the United Nations system is to assess and report levels and effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. Governments and organizations throughout the world rely on the Committee's estimates as the scientific basis for evaluating radiation risk and for establishing protective measures.
WHO
The aim of the Radiation and Environmental Health Programme is to look for solutions to protect human health from ionizing radiation hazards by raising people's awareness of the potential health risks associated with ionizing radiation.
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