Radiation Blog - StemRad

Increasing Your Survivability Quotient during a Nuclear Disaster

What you need to shield yourself from radiation during a nuclear disaster fits into a duffle bag.

Radiation from a nuclear disaster comes in two forms: fallout (radioactive particles) and penetrating waves. To protect yourself from particles of radiation dispersed in the air you’ll need respiration masks, iodine pills, gloves, goggles, and clothing that will cover the whole of your body. To protect yourself from penetrating waves of radiation, you’ll need a [...]

Getting By in a Radioactive Universe

Nuclear explosions occur on a regular basis in our universe, and on an unfathomable scale. Gamma-ray bursts, which occur when a large star collapses into a black hole, account for the most powerful nuclear explosions – emitting, in a few seconds, the amount of radiation that the sun would produce over 10 billion years. And [...]

Power Struggles: Fossil Fuels vs. Nuclear Energy

Both fossil fuel and nuclear energy help us meet our energy needs, yet both often give rise to criticism. Looking at the facts presents a complex picture that precludes staunch favoritism. Fossil fuels – petroleum, coal and natural gas – originate from large reserves of ancient organisms buried in the ground for millions of years. [...]

Could There Be Other Chernobyls We Don’t Know About?

Chernobyl the miniseries was a far cry from what the Soviets had in mind when they initially tried to cover up the huge catastrophe. The only thing that threw a wrench into their plans was the fact that radiation spread into Europe, enabling detection. Other nuclear catastrophes, farther into the Soviet Union and away from [...]