Buzz
While we’re all familiar with the usual radiation culprits like nuclear reactors, microwaves, atomic bombs, and certain areas of Ukraine, it's the hidden sources you need to be cautious about.
10. Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are among the most radioactive foods on the planet. But before you think munching on them will grant you superpowers, think again (trust us, we tried). Instead, one overly enthusiastic nut lover found that indulging in too many would only lead to exceptionally radioactive waste. The reason behind this radioactivity? The tree roots that produce Brazil nuts extend deep into the earth, soaking up significant amounts of radium, a naturally occurring radiation source.
9. Grand Central Station
New York City’s Grand Central Station is not only one of the busiest railway stations in the world, but it’s also one of the most radioactive. Many of the station’s walls and its foundation are constructed using granite, a rock that naturally holds radiation. In fact, the radiation levels at Grand Central surpass those of some nuclear power plants, exceeding the legal emission limits for these facilities.
8. Living in Denver
It’s a well-established scientific truth that the higher you go in altitude, the more exposure to cosmic radiation you receive. The reason for this lies in the Earth's atmosphere: as you move closer to the atmosphere, it thins, offering less protection. This poses a particular challenge for the people of Denver, which sits about a mile above sea level. As a result, its residents are exposed to twice the amount of radiation compared to those living at sea level. Strangely, however, this doesn’t seem to harm their health. A study found that people living at high elevations actually live longer and enjoy better health, suggesting that rather than gaining superpowers, the radiation might be enhancing their ability to heal.
7. Exit Signs
If you've ever been to school, college, or worked in an office, you've likely noticed glowing exit signs strategically placed around. These signs are designed to be visible during emergencies when the power might go out, so they don’t rely on the building's main power source. But how do they keep glowing? Is it due to long-lasting batteries or some other fancy power source? Actually, the light comes from a radioactive hydrogen isotope called tritium, which is contained inside the sign. However, if disaster strikes and the sign shatters, that radioactive material could escape and contaminate the building and everyone in it.
6. Kitty Litter
If you ever get the odd urge to take a swan dive into your cat's litter box, you might want to rethink that plan. Aside from the fact that it's a disgusting idea in general, kitty litter happens to be one of the most common sources of radiation in your home. This is because one of its main ingredients, bentonite clay, is excellent at absorbing waste but not so great at containing natural traces of uranium and thorium. Even worse, thanks to the massive amounts of cat litter that end up in landfills each year, there’s a risk that this radiation could eventually contaminate our groundwater.
5. Bananas
Bananas, much like Brazil nuts, emit small amounts of radiation. However, unlike Brazil nuts, which absorb radiation from the soil, bananas are naturally radioactive due to their genetic makeup. But before you rush to bury your bananas in a lead box, you should know that you'd have to consume around 5 million bananas to even come close to experiencing radiation sickness. And by then, you'd probably have turned into a banana yourself. Nevertheless, the radiation is detectable with a Geiger counter, and a bunch of bananas could trigger the alarms if passed through a radiation sensor at a border checkpoint.
4. Granite Kitchen Worktops
So, let’s say we’ve convinced you to swear off bananas and Brazil nuts forever, and you’re now living a completely radiation-free lifestyle. However, if you have a granite worktop in your kitchen, there's a high chance that almost every meal you've prepared on it has been exposed to some form of radiation. If you recall the story about Grand Central Station, you'll understand why: granite is a rock that's fantastic at holding on to naturally occurring radiation.
3. Glossy Magazine Paper
If a magazine publisher wants to splurge a bit, it might choose glossy paper—not just because it looks more attractive, but because they believe consumers are drawn to shiny things, much like magpies. To achieve that glossy finish, the paper is coated with kaolin, a white clay. This type of clay, like the one used in kitty litter, can also trap radioactive elements such as uranium and thorium. Interestingly, kaolin is also found as a common food additive and in many over-the-counter medications.
2. Old Pottery and Glassware
It may have been a sweet gesture from your grandmother to leave you those old vases and glassware, but you might want to reconsider keeping them. Many pieces of pottery made before 1960—especially those with an orange or red hue—contain significant amounts of uranium, which was mixed into the glaze to give them that distinctive color. Similarly, if you own any antique glassware with a greenish tint, it also contains uranium. Needless to say, we strongly advise against drinking from those items, as much old porcelain can leak lead too.
1. Cigarettes
It's no shock to hear that cigarettes are harmful to your health—after all, that's what all those public service announcements on TV are telling us, and TV never lies, right? Many cigarettes actually contain radioactive substances such as polonium-210 (the same isotope linked to the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko) and lead-210. These radioactive materials remain in the tobacco leaves throughout the manufacturing process and are released into the air as vapor when the cigarette is lit and smoked. While the concentration of these materials is low, they can accumulate over time in the organs of moderate to heavy smokers and are believed to contribute to the development of certain types of cancer.
