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Article: Nuclear homeopathy. (low-level radiation) (Science and Technology)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- May 5, 1990
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1990 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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COULD nuclear clouds have a silver lining? Some researchers question the view that low doses of ionising radiation are bad for you-as high doses undoubtedly are. A few scientists go further, suggesting that a little radiation may even be a good thing.
Ionising radiation comes in many forms-x-rays, radioactive particles like neutrons, and cosmic rays. It is their high energy that makes these things dangerous. When, for example, an x-ray meets an atom, there is a chance that it will knock an electron off it. This ionisation-an atom with too few or too many electrons is an ion-goes on all the time, because ionising radiation is everywhere. The most common sources ...