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Not all radiation is harmful -

Radiation is present on our planet, and not all of it is bad for our health. In fact, only large doses of ionizing radiation can have a serious negative impact on our cells, and this is not something most of us are subject to every day. Now, let's take a look at things that are surprisingly radioactive.

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Smoke detectors -

Most smoke detectors used at home contain the radioactive element americium-241. But the compound is protected by ceramic and foil, so it's pretty safe.

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Brazil nuts -

Brazilian nuts are about 1,000 times more radioactive than any other food in our diet. The roots of the Brazil nut tree are massive, and naturally absorb radium in the soil. Don't worry though: you'd have to eat a lot of them, all the time, to reach unsafe levels.

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Spark plugs -

In the 1940s, Firestone manufactured spark plugs with polonium electrodes. The idea was that these would help improve performance, but instead they were just really dangerous! How dangerous? Well, polonium is 250 billion times more toxic than hydrogen cyanide (the poison...).

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Tobacco smoke -

Despite the many chemicals found in cigs, radioactive elements are not actually added to them. But tobacco leaves do absorb radioactive elements, such as radium, lead-210, and polonium-210.

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Beer -

An average beer contains traces of the isotope potassium-40. This is because, like other products, it contains potassium.

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Exit signs -

Some of these signs contain a radioactive gas called tritium, which is what allows them to glow in the dark, even without electricity.

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Fertilizer -

Fertilizers are used to manipulate levels of potassium, phosphorous, and nitrogen. Potassium is naturally radioactive, and phosphorous can actually be derived from phosphate ore, which contains high levels of uranium.

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Toothpaste -

Doramad Radioactive Toothpaste was a German toothpaste produced from the 1920s through to the 1940s. It contained a radioactive metal called thorium, which was extracted from the mineral monazite.

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Bananas -

Bananas are rich in potassium, and potassium-40 is a natural radioactive isotope of potassium. But don't worry: you'd have to eat around 1,000 of them to get a dose of radiation similar to that of an x-ray!

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Dentures -

Years ago, porcelain was added to dentures to make them shiny. The problem was that to achieve the desired effect, uranium-238 was added to the molding process.

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Televisions and monitors -

Older TV sets and computer monitors that contain cathode ray tubes (CRTs) may emit x-rays.

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Glossy magazines -

These are made using a product called kaolin, which has small amounts of the uranium decay series and thorium decay series.

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Granite countertops -

Granite naturally contains uranium and thorium, but the real culprit is radon, which is a gas that occurs when uranium decays. It is, however, unlikely that you'd be subject to unhealthy levels of radiation in you kitchen because of your granite countertops.

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Recycled metals -

Recycling is great, but sometimes products can get contaminated. For example, in 2008 a gamma-emitting cheese grater was found contaminated with the radioactive isotope cobalt-60.

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Fiestaware ceramics -

Their dinnerware is quite popular in the US, but decades ago some of it used to be radioactive. It got contaminated during the glazing process by the use of uranium oxide to make red dishes, and natural uranium to make the white ones. The whole line was discontinued in 1972.

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Ceramics -

In addition to Fiestaware, even regular ceramics may contain naturally-occurring uranium, thorium, and potassium.

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Fluorescent lights -

The lamp starters of some fluorescent lights contain krypton-85, which emits both beta and gamma rays.

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Gas lantern mantles -

Some of the old ones generate light by heating the  radioactive metallic chemical element thorium (generally thorium-232).

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Clocks and watches -

The glowing dials and other parts of watches usually contain hydrogen-3 (tritium) or promethium-147. And older ones (pre-1970) may even have radium-226 paint.

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Older camera lenses -

Some camera lenses, dating from around the '50s to the '70s, had thorium incorporated into the glass. But the risk of exposure by using these is very low.

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The human body -

Yes, we're radioactive! Our bodies mostly contain potassium-40, as well as carbon-14.

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Gemstones -

Gemstones such as zircon contain naturally-occurring radioactive materials.

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Cat litter -

Cat litter made from clay or bentonite contains naturally-occurring radioactive isotopes. It is, however, at safe levels for both cats and humans.

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Sun lamps and tanning salons -

Unsurprisingly, these contain ultraviolet rays. Albeit non-ionizing radiation, these can be as harmful as excessive sun exposure.

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The US Capitol building -

The walls of the historical building are made from granite containing high amounts of uranium. So much so that radiation levels are 65 times higher than Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

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Primo’s Flat Fix -

Of all the places possible, this small tire repair shop in New York is the most radioactive place in the city. It stands where the Wolff-Alport Chemical Company used to be. The company used to refine monazite and would get thorium and uranium as by-products.

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Guarapari beaches -

You'll find these beautiful beaches in the state of Espírito Santo in Brazil. Once a health mecca for its "curative" sands, the beaches are now mostly deserted. Unless, of course, people want to get exposed to unhealthy levels of  gamma radiation. It's believed the radiation is due to the presence of a mineral called monazite.

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Seagulls -

Back in the 1950s, there was a disaster at the Sellafield nuclear power station on the coast of Cumbria in England. And not too long ago radioactive pools were still reported on site. Seagulls would, of course, be exposed to this radiation.

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Wild boars -

Radioactive wild boars have reached as far as Sweden, following the Chernobyl disaster. Like boars, many other animals were affected by radiation.

Sources: (EPA) (International Atomic Energy Agency) (Mental Floss) (TopTenz) (ThoughtCo)

See also: Radioactive facts about uranium

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