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Uranium exists naturally in dirt and is a weak alpha emitter. Radon exists as a gas in small quantities, can come up through your floor and trap in your house, and is a much stronger alpha emitter. This has been happening since life began. If it is not about the concentration, then why aren't we all dead?

Damage to your DNA is almost always repaired, and when that doesn't happen the cell almost always commits apoptosis (suicide). And when that doesn't happen the immune system almost always kills the abberant cell. And when that doesn't happen you get cancer. There has to be a lot of alpha particles before there is any appreciable chance that you will be harmed. If you dilute radioisotopes well enough, there just won't be enough alpha particles. Sure, every one is a lottery ticket, but everything in life is like that. Every second you get sunshine on your skin you draw a lottery ticket for skin cancer... but I wouldn't dream of NOT getting sunshine on my skin.

j 2y ago

Even the natural radioactive elements in the environment are associated with reduced quality of life.

This is one reason people at high altitudes live longer and healthier lives than people at low altitudes.

Your point about DNA repair etc. is irrelevant. The reality is that every alpha particle you are exposed to increases your chances of death by cancer or (much worse) passing on a defective gene to your kids. If you had zero radiation exposure all of these probabilites would be reduced.

Sorry but I know about this stuff. Trust me, you are better off getting as far away from radioactivity as you can manage.

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Low Information Voter 2y ago

This just isn't true.

Alpha particles can't penetrate skin, for starters. If you knew that, you wouldn't have used it as an example.

And the linear no-threshold model of harm you are citing (even if you don't know its name) is about as well-supported as astrology.

j 2y ago

They don't have to penetrate the skin to cause extreme harm. The problem is that radioactive material becomes diffuse in the environment and is ingested with food or breathed in.

I don't know who told you that radioactive substances were safe but they lied to you bro

Low Information Voter 2y ago

LOL

At first I thought you might be an incurious highschool teacher or general practitioner parroting from an induction briefing.

Now I realise, you got nothin'!

Mike Dilger ☑️ 2y ago

If a large number of atoms of radioactive material are ingested (which can present as a single speck, which adheres together and travels together to some resting place in bodily tissues), then the repeated decays from adjacent atoms (as well as further decays from the decay chain) can overwhelm the recovery mechanisms of the tissue right there which keeps getting hit over and over by ionizing alpha particles. This is totally true, and this is why nuclear fallout is so dangerous for about 2 weeks after a nuclear explosion.

But:

1) If you dilute material properly, there will not be clumps of radioactive atoms. The atoms will be mixed with non-radioactive atoms. So my argument is that if you properly dilute radioactive waste, there is no appreciable danger anymore.

2) Fallout after a nuclear explosion, after about 2 weeks, isn't going to kill you anymore. Even though the nuclear material may be clumpy, the hot stuff has decayed far enough.

The #1 risk of being near a nuclear explosion is the thermal flash, which kills at the greatest radius. But you should also avoid fallout for two weeks. Two weeks is approximate, there is a 7-10 rule that says for every 7-fold increase in time there is a 10-fold decrease in radiation.

j 2y ago

Obviously, you are the once citing things.

I'm just explaining how nuclear radiation works. Anyone who reads this can plainluly see that.

Low Information Voter 2y ago

Its plain you don't know anything on this topic that wouldn't fit in 140 chars. And you apparently haven't read a single paper.

j 2y ago

False. I've actually read much more than you

Low Information Voter 2y ago

Clearly not. You've read less than my ten year old.