Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Biological Effects of Radiation02:59

Biological Effects of Radiation

15.6K
All radioactive nuclides emit high-energy particles or electromagnetic waves. When this radiation encounters living cells, it can cause heating, break chemical bonds, or ionize molecules. The most serious biological damage results when these radioactive emissions fragment or ionize molecules. For example, α and β particles emitted from nuclear decay reactions possess much higher energies than ordinary chemical bond energies. When these particles strike and penetrate matter, they...
15.6K
Mutations01:35

Mutations

38.3K
Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
38.3K
Absorption of Radiation01:05

Absorption of Radiation

770
The rate of heat transfer by emitted radiation is described by the Stefan-Boltzmann law of radiation:
770
Radiation: Applications01:17

Radiation: Applications

1.2K
The average temperature of Earth is the subject of much current discussion. Earth is in radiative contact with both the Sun and dark space; it receives almost all its energy from the radiation of the Sun and reflects some of it into outer space. Dark space is very cold, about 3 K, so Earth radiates energy into it. For instance, heat transfer occurs from soil and grasses, the rate of which can be so rapid that frost can occur on clear summer evenings, even in warm latitudes.
The average...
1.2K
The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements01:27

The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements

17.5K
Elements are the smallest units of matter that cannot be broken down further by chemical processes. There are 118 known elements, but not all of these are naturally occurring, and only a few of them are essential for life. Living matter is composed primarily of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen, with smaller amounts of other elements like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. Other elements are also necessary for life but only in trace amounts.
Periodic Table Provides Information...
17.5K
Types of Radioactivity03:23

Types of Radioactivity

16.9K
The most common types of radioactivity are α decay, β decay, γ decay, neutron emission, and electron capture.
Alpha (α) decay is the emission of an α particle from the nucleus. For example, polonium-210 undergoes α decay:
16.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

OBITUARYRoger Clarke 1943-2026.

Journal of radiological protection : official journal of the Society for Radiological Protection·2026
Same author

Response to Fisher.

Health physics·2023
Same author

How the Science of Radiation Biology Can Help Reduce the Crippling Fear of Low-level Radiation.

Health physics·2023
Same author

Evidence of a Dose-Rate Threshold for Life Span Reduction of Dogs Exposed Lifelong to γ-Radiation.

Dose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society·2019
Same author

Response to Hayes: LNT Contradicts Biology, but ALARA Gets Lethal.

Health physics·2018
Same author

Biological Effects From Low Doses and Dose Rates of Ionizing Radiation: Science in the Service of Protecting Humans, a Synopsis.

Health physics·2018
Same journal

Assessment of Health Risks of Adults and Children Due to Consumption of Uranium in Groundwater from Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, India.

Health physics·2026
Same journal

Radiation Protection Abstracts, Volume 46, Number 1.

Health physics·2026
Same journal

Specialized Radiological Assets for Navigable Two-dimensional and Three-dimensional Virtual and Augmented Reality.

Health physics·2026
Same journal

DoseBusters: A Fully Immersive Virtual Reality Game for Radiation Protection and Detection.

Health physics·2026
Same journal

Radioactivity in Bottled Drinking Water from Greater Dhaka City and Concomitant Ingestion Doses to Consumers.

Health physics·2026
Same journal

Assessment of Radiation Dose and Protection Practices in Neonatal Radiography in NICUs.

Health physics·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 27, 2025

An Automated Microscopic Scoring Method for the γ-H2AX Foci Assay in Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes
08:23

An Automated Microscopic Scoring Method for the γ-H2AX Foci Assay in Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes

Published on: December 25, 2021

4.9K

Why Low-level Radiation Exposure Should Not Be Feared.

Alan E Waltar1, Abel J Gonzalez2, Ludwig E Feinendegen3

  • 1Retired Professor and Head, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Texas A&M University and Past President of the American Nuclear Society; 12449 Ingalls Creek Road, Peshastin, WA 98847.

Health Physics
|June 9, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Public fear of low-level radiation exposure is unwarranted and disrupts beneficial applications. This paper argues for regulatory reform, suggesting exemptions for trivial low-dose situations to alleviate public anxiety and enable progress.

More Related Videos

Measuring DNA Damage and Repair in Mouse Splenocytes After Chronic In Vivo Exposure to Very Low Doses of Beta- and Gamma-Radiation
11:24

Measuring DNA Damage and Repair in Mouse Splenocytes After Chronic In Vivo Exposure to Very Low Doses of Beta- and Gamma-Radiation

Published on: July 3, 2015

11.1K
Effective Analysis of Human Exposure Conditions with Body-worn Dosimeters in the 2.4 GHz Band
06:43

Effective Analysis of Human Exposure Conditions with Body-worn Dosimeters in the 2.4 GHz Band

Published on: May 2, 2018

7.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 27, 2025

An Automated Microscopic Scoring Method for the γ-H2AX Foci Assay in Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes
08:23

An Automated Microscopic Scoring Method for the γ-H2AX Foci Assay in Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes

Published on: December 25, 2021

4.9K
Measuring DNA Damage and Repair in Mouse Splenocytes After Chronic In Vivo Exposure to Very Low Doses of Beta- and Gamma-Radiation
11:24

Measuring DNA Damage and Repair in Mouse Splenocytes After Chronic In Vivo Exposure to Very Low Doses of Beta- and Gamma-Radiation

Published on: July 3, 2015

11.1K
Effective Analysis of Human Exposure Conditions with Body-worn Dosimeters in the 2.4 GHz Band
06:43

Effective Analysis of Human Exposure Conditions with Body-worn Dosimeters in the 2.4 GHz Band

Published on: May 2, 2018

7.1K

Area of Science:

  • Radiation Science
  • Risk Assessment
  • Public Health Policy

Background:

  • Public perception of low-level radiation is often driven by fear rather than scientific evidence.
  • This fear leads to significant disruptions in harnessing radiation for societal benefit.
  • Existing regulatory frameworks may not adequately reflect the scientific understanding of low-dose radiation effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address and alleviate public fear surrounding low-level radiation exposure.
  • To provide a scientific and epistemological basis for regulatory reform in radiation protection.
  • To demonstrate how unsubstantiated fear hinders beneficial applications of controlled radiation.

Main Methods:

  • Review of the history of quantifying, understanding, modeling, and controlling radiation exposure.
  • Exploration of interpretations of the linear no-threshold (LNT) model.
  • Analysis of insights from radiation pathologists, epidemiologists, biologists, and protectionists.
  • Examination of contributions from international bodies like UNSCEAR and ICRP.

Main Results:

  • The linear no-threshold model lacks a solid scientific basis for proven effects at low doses.
  • Current radiation exposure guidance is heavily reliant on this model.
  • Unsubstantiated public fear has led to the crippling of beneficial radiation applications.

Conclusions:

  • Regulatory reform is needed to improve implementation and public service.
  • Excluding or exempting trivial low-dose situations from regulatory scope is suggested.
  • Alleviating public fear will enable the beneficial use of controlled radiation in modern society.