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Strange glow : the story of radiation / Timothy J. Jorgensen.

by Jorgensen, Timothy J.

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Princeton University Press, 2016.

Radiation -- History.

9780691165035 (hc.)

Alternate title:

Story of radiation

xiii, 490 p. : ill., portr., chart, photo. ; 24 cm.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 411-464) and index.

Preface. Nuclear Jaguars -- Part one: Radiation 101: the basics. Now you see it: radiation revealed ; Seek and you shall find: radioactivity everywhere ; Splitting hairs: atomic particles and nuclear fission -- Part two: the health effects of radiation. Painted into a corner: radiation and occupational illness ; The Hippocratic Paradox: radiation cures cancer ; Location, location, location: radiation sickness ; Snow warning: radioactive fallout ; After the dust settles: measuring the cancer risk of radiation ; Breeding season: genetic effects ; Crystal clear: the target for radiation damage -- Part three: weighing the risks and benefits of radiation. Silent spring: radon in homes ; A tale of two cities: diagnostic radiography ; Sorry, wrong number: cell phones ; Hot tuna: radioactivity in food ; Blue moon: nuclear power plant accidents ; The things they carried: geopolitical radiation threats -- Epilogue. N-Rays.

"More than ever before, radiation is a part of our modern daily lives. We own radiation-emitting phones, regularly get diagnostic x-rays, such as mammograms, and submit to full-body security scans at airports. We worry and debate about the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the safety of nuclear power plants. But how much do we really know about radiation? And what are its actual dangers? An accessible blend of narrative history and science, Strange Glow describes mankind's extraordinary, thorny relationship with radiation, including the hard-won lessons of how radiation helps and harms our health. Timothy Jorgensen explores how our knowledge of and experiences with radiation in the last century can lead us to smarter personal decisions about radiation exposures today. Jorgensen introduces key figures in the story of radiation--from Wilhelm Roentgen, the discoverer of x-rays, and pioneering radioactivity researchers Marie and Pierre Curie, to Thomas Edison and the victims of the recent Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. Tracing the most important events in the evolution of radiation, Jorgensen explains exactly what radiation is, how it produces certain health consequences, and how we can protect ourselves from harm. He also considers a range of practical scenarios such as the risks of radon in our basements, radiation levels in the fish we eat, questions about cell-phone use, and radiation's link to cancer. Jorgensen empowers us to make informed choices while offering a clearer understanding of broader societal issues. Investigating radiation's benefits and risks, Strange Glow takes a remarkable look at how, for better or worse, radiation has transformed our society "--From publisher.

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