Pop culture and the media often turn radiation into a scarecrow for technology that humanity can’t or shouldn’t control. In reality, radiation is not to be feared. This is because it is an umbrella term, with radiation constantly around us in one form or another and most of it safe. So let’s take a critical look at this fascinating and important area of science and its effects on the human body.
Radiation in physics is defined as the emission or transmission of energy in the form of a wave or a particle. This means all the light in the universe is radiation, technically known as electromagnetic radiation. The particles thrown into space by stars are also radiation. Same goes for the particles released in nuclear reactions. But not all radiation is created equal.
Every instant we are surrounded by a huge amount of harmless radiation (neutrinos, visible light, etc.) and only very rarely do we get exposed to something that could be dangerous. For example, 100 trillion neutrinos go through your body every second. To truly understand the repercussions of radiation, we need to consider the amount a person is exposed to and the duration of that exposure.
Full story can be found on IFL Science.