You cannot hide from radioactivity. Even the book you are holding is
slightly radioactive, but there are more serious risks. Radioactivity -
the breakdown of unstable atomic nuclei, releasing radiation - is a
fundamental process in nature. It is a process that has been harnessed
to provide wide and important applications in science, medicine,
industry, and energy production. But it remains much misunderstood - and
feared, perhaps because nuclear radiation cannot be detected by human
senses, and can undoubtedly do great harm if appropriate precautions are
not taken. In recent times there have been increasing concerns about
nuclear terrorism.
The traces of radioactive atoms in rock have allowed us to understand
the nature and history of the Earth, in particular to date events in
that history. Radioactive dating has been used for a variety of
purposes, from determining the age of the first hominids to the dating
of the Turin Shroud. The discovery of radioactivity has improved our
survival kit, but also gave us the chance to reach a new level of
awareness on the history of our species and its environmental impacts.
In this Very Short Introduction, Claudio Tuniz explains the nature of
radioactivity and discuss its role in nature. Describing radioactivity
in the stars and in the Earth, he also looks at its wide range of
applications in biomedicine and in science, as well as the mechanisms of
nuclear fission and fusion, and the harnessing of nuclear power.
