According to a new study by a team of scientists at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, relatively high exposure to background radiation may actually lead to healthier lives.
Background radiation is a type of ionizing radiation that originates from both natural and artificial sources. Natural sources include cosmic radiation from space and naturally occurring radioactive materials, while artificial sources include anything from medical X-rays to nuclear weapons testing.
As detailed in the study, published in the journal Biogerontology, the researchers examined background radiation data dating all the way back to 1960s across all 3,129 counties in the United States using the Environmental Protection Agencys radiation dose calculator.
They then cross referenced this data with cancer rates from the United States Cancer Statistics and life expectancy data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington Medical Center.
What they found was surprising. Those who lived in areas where background radiation levels were higher, across genders, experienced significantly lower rates of lung, pancreatic, colon and rectal cancers.
Here, we show that life expectancy, the most integrative index of population health, was approximately 2.5 years longer in people living in areas with a relatively high vs. low background radiation, the researchers wrote in their paper.
Exposure to a high background radiation displays clear beneficial health effects in humans, reads the paper.
Decades of scientific theory are potentially being disproven by the remarkable researchers at BGU, Doug Seserman, CEO at the universitys American Associates, said in a statement. These findings might even provide a sense of relief for those who reside in areas in the U.S. with higher-than-average background radiation.
Rather than claiming high background radiation directly causes these improved health effects, the researchers are rather suggesting that prevailing paradigms about the need to keep exposures as low as possible as any level of ionizing radiation is harmful should be questioned.
As a result of this linear no-threshold paradigm, hundreds of billions of dollars go towards lowering radiation levels, according to the researchers.
Its unclear if these same effects would apply for higher rates of background radiation beyond the levels caused by natural sources.
It is reasonable to suggest that a radiation threshold does exist, yet it is higher than the upper limit of the natural background radiation levels in the US, reads the paper.
READ MORE: Decades of Scientific Theory Disproven: Beneficial Health Effects Found From High Background Radiation Exposure [Ben-Gurion University of the Negev]
More on radiation: Armed Criminals Steal Truck Full of Deadly Radioactive Materials
As a Futurism reader, we invite you join the Singularity Global Community, our parent companys forum to discuss futuristic science & technology with like-minded people from all over the world. Its free to join, sign up now!
View post:
Scientists Claim That Actually, Radiation Is Good For You - Futurism
- Futurist Ray Kurzweil on Melding Man and Machine - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Patrick Dixon, Futurist, Global Change - "Sustainagility" Keynote at Zermatt Summit 2012 - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- C2CAM - Futurist Forecasts - (Coast To Coast AM) - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Keynote presentation: future of media [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- 212 (Futurist Bootleg Remix) - Azealia Banks [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Jacque Fresco - Designing the Future - Futurists Summit (2008) - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- From Ego to Eco: Futurist and Keynote Speaker Gerd Leonhard at EcoSummit 2012 - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- futurist - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Futurist Ray Kurzweil - Suzanne Somers Breaking Through - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- THE FUTURIST - Glen Hiemstra - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Futurist-Author James Howard Kunstler - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- The Zeitgeist Movement - Futurists, Technology and Cultural Lag - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Big Thinkers - Alvin Toffler [Futurist] - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Futurist, Edie Weiner opens the NACD 2011 Board Leadership Conference - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Monetizing Digital Content - Futurist [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Futurist Conversations: The Future of Money - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- The Consumer of Tomorrow Futurist Gerd Leonhard at Google Australia "ThinkTravel" event - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Aubrey de Grey, interview with The Futurist, July 10, 2011 - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Futurist Gerd Leonhard: Consumer Empowerment in the Networked Society (Keynote at CI Congress 2011) - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- The Future of Media (Futurist Gerd Leonhard at Media Future Week in Almere, NL) - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Is it a bird, is it a phone, no it’s... Smarterman [Last Updated On: September 9th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 9th, 2012]
- These 9 startups belong in a futurist’s guide to health technology (infographic) [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2012]
- Impatient Futurist: Rise of the (Friendly) Drones | DISCOVER Magazine [Last Updated On: September 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 30th, 2012]
- Futurist Stewart Brand Wants to Revive Extinct Species [Last Updated On: September 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 30th, 2012]
- Ford futurist: ‘Imagine a future that is unimaginable' [Last Updated On: September 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 30th, 2012]
- Ford futurist: [Last Updated On: September 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 30th, 2012]
- DESIGN East: Futurist tells engineers to embrace change [Last Updated On: September 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 30th, 2012]
- Miguel parties with panache in 'The Thrill' video [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2012]
- A Quick Primer On Futurist-Level Foresight [Last Updated On: October 8th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 8th, 2012]
- Healthcare Futurist and Keynote Speaker Jack Uldrich Joins Jim Collins & Commander Mark Kelly at the American Health ... [Last Updated On: October 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 10th, 2012]
- Futurist Ray Kurzweil's new book predicts development of a super 'digital brain' [Last Updated On: October 16th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 16th, 2012]
- Futurist's Cheat Sheet: Artificial Intelligence [Last Updated On: October 16th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 16th, 2012]
- Ray Kurzweil’s new book predicts development of a super ‘digital brain’ [Last Updated On: October 17th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 17th, 2012]
- Energy Futurist Jack Uldrich to Keynote Series of Utility Industry Events [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Norwich University Presents Futurist as First Presenter in Fall Lecture Series [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- ART BELL CLASSIC SHOW Present Trends Leading Towards a Good Future - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- KBIS 2011 Multimedia Lounge: David Houle - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Mina Loy - Wiki Article - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Technology's Long Nose: Dr. Lowell Catlett at TEDxABQ - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- 01 01 2011 Futurist Forecasts - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- The Futurist: Four amazing robotic inventions - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- The Duck - Futurist Beat - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Abstract olympic movement dance backdrop - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Planet X Causing Superstorms, Earthquakes [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- The Effects of Technology - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- How Futurecasting works - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Imagining the Future - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Futurist Forecasts - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Paradise or Oblivion Trailer - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Russian Futurism - Wiki Article - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Matematica - Willpower (original mix) - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Futurist Joel Kotkin targets gulf coast economy that includes Tampa Bay as rising economic powerhouse [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- The Futurist: blasting you into outer space - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- The Intelligence Revolution (2007) - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- The Biotech Revolution (2007) - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- The Quantum Revolution (2007) - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- Digilogue for Real Estate Professionals - RP Data Virtual Roadshow - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- Kenneth R. Weinstein President of the Hudson Institute - FRANCE 24 [10-29-2012] - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- Sensum at Belfast Media Festival 2012 part 2 - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- 97 year old man gets explicit about how fucked up we have made the world. - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- Blade Runner 30th Anniversary Blu-Ray - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- From Ego to Eco: Media, Energy, Politics: Intro to 11/5 Sao Paulo Event (Futurist Gerd Leonhard) 2 - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- Future of Vietnam -- economy, technology, banking, real estate etc - keynote speaker Patrick Dixon - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- (GD002) Antoni Maiovvi - Prisoner Nightdrive (Mircalla Remix) - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- Shell Technology Forums, 12 - 19 October 2012, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- Does Privacy Matter? - G Craig Vachon @ TEDxSantaCruz - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- How to Paint Digitally: Livestream 004 - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- How To Paint Digitally: Livestream 003 - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- Future Prophecies - Dreadlock (Kura [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- Ford Motor Co's Futurist Sheryl Connelly - What Does A Futurist Do In A Car Company? - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- Prof. Russolo's 'RussoloVespers' - Video [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2012]
- Future By Design trailer directed by William Gazecki. - Video [Last Updated On: November 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 4th, 2012]
- Secrets of Math Key To Higher Dimensions - Video [Last Updated On: November 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 4th, 2012]
- MERLIN Project, Prophecy [Last Updated On: November 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 4th, 2012]
- From Ego to Eco: Introduction to Nov 5 2012 Event in Sao Paulo (Futurist Speaker Gerd Leonhard) - Video [Last Updated On: November 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 4th, 2012]
- Joel Kotkin: The Inevitable Burst of Social Media Bubble - Video [Last Updated On: November 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 4th, 2012]
- The Dark Side of the Double Helix: Andrew Hessel at TEDx Marin 2012 - Video [Last Updated On: November 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 4th, 2012]
- Precognition [Last Updated On: November 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 4th, 2012]
- Ray Kurzweil: AI Could Make a Healthier, Wealthier World - Video [Last Updated On: November 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 4th, 2012]
- Honey Boo Boo, Jersey Shore, and the Sistine Chapel | Gene Expression [Last Updated On: November 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 5th, 2012]