Radioactivity

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.

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

This backgrounder has information about both cosmic & neutron radiation.