1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff production of iHeart Radio. Hey brain Stuff, 2 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: I'm Lauren vogel Bomb and today's episode is a classic, 3 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: by which I mean it's from the past and from 4 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 1: our former host, Christian Sager. This one was inspired by 5 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 1: some of the comments on our YouTube channel. We've done 6 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: an episode about diesel versus nuclear submarines and made a 7 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 1: perhaps ill conceived joke about nuclear radiation exposure and a 8 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: healthy green glow. To set the record straight about irradiation, 9 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: we created this episode about how radiation sickness really works. Also, 10 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:41,880 Speaker 1: if you've been watching Chernobyl, this one is pertinent. Hey, 11 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 1: I'm Christian Sagar and this is brain stuff. For most people, 12 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: ionizing radiation isn't something we need to worry about, but 13 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 1: some unexpected events can make us sick from radiation, like 14 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: nuclear power plant accidents, atomic bombs, leaks and medical or 15 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: industrial devices or acts of terrorism. And what we know 16 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: about severe radiation sickness is from incidents like these. So 17 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: radiation it's actually everywhere. It's in the atmosphere, the ground, 18 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: the water, and even our own bodies. We call this 19 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: natural background radiation and it's perfectly safe. Radiation strips electrons 20 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 1: away from atoms, creating a positively charged atom called an ion. Therefore, 21 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: high energy radiation is called ionizing radiation. Releasing the electron 22 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,119 Speaker 1: produces thirty three electron volts of energy, and this heat 23 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:40,559 Speaker 1: surrounding tissue and disrupts some chemical bonds. Extremely high energy 24 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: radiation can destroy the nuclei of atoms, releasing even more 25 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: energy and causing more damage. The resulting radiation sickness is 26 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: a cumulative effect of all of this damage on a 27 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: human body bombarded with radiation. Now, radiation exposure is measured 28 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: in units called millarem or m rem. Higher readings are 29 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: measured in ms v, which are multiples of one hundred 30 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,679 Speaker 1: m rem. In the US, we get an average annual 31 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: dose of three hundred and sixty m rem. More than 32 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:18,119 Speaker 1: eight comes from natural background radiation. And there are three 33 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: kinds of ionizing radiation. Alpha particles are the first, and 34 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: they're the least dangerous. They don't penetrate deeply into our 35 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: skin if they do at all, because clothes can stop 36 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: the particles, but they can be inhaled or ingested, usually 37 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: as a raid on gas, and they can also lead 38 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: to lung cancer. Beta particles are another one. These are 39 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: when electrons move quickly with a lot of energy. There 40 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: are eight thousand times smaller than alpha particles, so they 41 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: can penetrate the skin and this can burn us or 42 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 1: cause tissue damage. Beta particles can be ingested if they 43 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: enter food or water supplies. And then we've got the 44 00:02:56,360 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: most dangerous, which are gamma rays, extremely high energy that 45 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,679 Speaker 1: travels through matter. Since they have no mass, these can 46 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: be only blocked by several inches of lead or concrete. 47 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: If you're exposed to them, they run through your whole body, 48 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,919 Speaker 1: affecting the tissue and even the marrow of your bones, 49 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 1: and these cause widespread systemic damage. So how does radiation 50 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: make a sick Well, it deposits energy into our tissue, 51 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,959 Speaker 1: causing cell damage, and this can make our cells abnormal 52 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: or malignant. Huge amounts of radiation can kill within days 53 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: or hours in acute exposure, and frequent exposure to low 54 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: doses over long periods is called chronic exposure. This causes 55 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: a delay in those health effects. However, when we're talking 56 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: about amounts of radiation needed to trigger radiation sickness symptoms, 57 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 1: it's in terms of total dosage, and this also takes 58 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: into account radiation intensity. How much is absorbed into the 59 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: human body, how long the exposure is, and the types 60 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: of radiation involved, and this is quantified as the civert, 61 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: measured by the absorption of energy multiplied by the radiation type. So, 62 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: for instance, a CT scan is equal to point zero 63 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: one siverts of radiation. Now, federal guidelines limit your maximum 64 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: annual dose to point zero five siverts. The average person 65 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: gets point zero zero three six siverts from background radiation. 66 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: Point seven five siverts can be enough to induce radiation sickness, 67 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: including nausea in a weak immune system. Three siverts is 68 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: more severe, but it won't kill you. Five siverts and 69 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,600 Speaker 1: higher radiation will start damaging your skin so it doesn't 70 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 1: heal properly. Your hair will fall out, scars develop under 71 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 1: your skin, swelling and forming keloids. Now, between three siverts 72 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: and ten siverts gives you a fifty chance of dying 73 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 1: in thirty days, and an instant dose of ten severts 74 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 1: that will be fatal even with medical care. The effects 75 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: of radiation sickness include initial symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, headaches, fever, 76 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: and a loss of consciousness. With high doses, you'll also 77 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 1: see burns to the skin, and symptoms occur more quickly 78 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:26,919 Speaker 1: the higher the dose, but they fade over one to 79 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 1: two days. The latent period is where there are no 80 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: symptoms over several weeks, and after this period real damage 81 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: is evident. Bone marrow is vulnerable and can't produce enough 82 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 1: red or white blood cells, and this makes victims anemic 83 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: and susceptible to infections. It also damages the digestive systems lining, 84 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: and this allows bacteria to migrate from there into your blood, 85 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: causing more infections. So you're probably wondering, well, what's the 86 00:05:55,440 --> 00:06:00,160 Speaker 1: treatment available. Well, that begins with decontaminating the patient. If 87 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 1: radioactive material is still present, washing and special drugs like 88 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: Prussian blue dye can be used, and these drugs bind 89 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 1: radioactive particles and flush them from your body. You'll also 90 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:16,359 Speaker 1: want to evaluate your exposure with symptom checks using blood 91 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 1: tests or a Geiger counter. You'll want antibiotics for the infections, 92 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: and blood transusions are used to compensate for damaged bone marrow. 93 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 1: Actual marrow transplants are used in even more severe cases, 94 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: and pills can reduce the symptoms of exposure. For instance, 95 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 1: potassium iodide tablets prevent radioactive iodine from concentrating in your thyroid. However, 96 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: it does not protect you from direct radiation exposure. To 97 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: prevent that, well, you can start by avoiding radiation, but 98 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: the CDC recommends that you stay inside your home because 99 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 1: the walls can block some radiation and the safest room 100 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: in your house is the one with the least windows. 101 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: Once you're in a safe place, figure out if you've 102 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: been contaminated. Ways to do this would be get out 103 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: of the area, remove your outer clothes and put these 104 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: clothes in a plastic bag away from all others. Wash 105 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: all your exposed body parts, and any internal contamination may 106 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: need medical attention. Now you know what to do if 107 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: you've been exposed to enough radiation to cause serious sickness. 108 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: Today's episode was written by Ben Bullen and produced by 109 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: Tyler Clang. Brain Stuff is a production of I Heart 110 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: Radio's How Stuff Works. For more in this and lots 111 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 1: of other topics, visit our home planet, how stuff Works 112 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:40,239 Speaker 1: dot com. Plus. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, 113 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 114 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.