Topic 4: Medical Physics

Learn about the different types of radiation, how they interact with atoms and how they can affect you.

These two “point-counterpoint” videos provide arguments for and against using nuclear energy to generate electricity.

Radiocarbon dating is a method of radiometric dating. Learn how archaeologists use carbon isotopes to find the age of organic materials at archaeological sites.

One of the greatest hazards that humans in space face is cosmic radiation. Learn what cosmic radiation is, why it's dangerous, and ways that we are looking at protecting humans in deep space.

Gamma rays might make you think of cancer, harmful radiation or superheroes. But gamma rays have lots of uses: food safety, manufacturing and even medicine!

When a nuclear reactor is no longer in use, the radioactivity in its materials remains. That’s why it’s important to safely deal with the radioactive waste those plants leave behind.

Learn how people came to understand the source of cosmic radiation, as well as how this radiation impacts those who work in and travel on airplanes.

This backgrounder explains the different ways that cells repair damage to DNA.

Heavy metal is a term for some toxic chemical elements. They can cause problems like bioaccumulation, but are useful in nuclear medicine and medical imaging.

This backgrounder explains the effects of radiation on cells and DNA.

This backgrounder has information about both cosmic & neutron radiation.