Avogadro, Amedeo, 417n17
B-29 bombers, 141–42, 144
B-47 bombers, 375
B-52 bombers: Buzz One Four, 375, 377, 383, 385, 387; crashes of, 375–79, 383–87, 394–96; Doom 99, 394; Mark 53 (B53) and, 375–76, 387, 449n1; structural weak spots of, 375, 383
B-58 bombers, 375
background dose, 111, 198, 332, 336–37, 339, 445n13
bacteria, 120, 153, 232, 235, 243–44, 438n13, 439n36
Bailey, William J. A., 93–96
banana dose equivalent, 445n13
Barkla, Charles Glover, 404–5
Basel University, 235
Baumann, Eugen, 176
Becker, Herbert, 58
Becquerel, Antoine Henri, 402; chemical storage of light and, 38–39; Crookes tubes and, 39; fluorescence and, 38–42, 48; Nobel Prize and, 39–40, 47–48; radioactivity and, 47–49; Rutherford and, 54; safety and, 41; uranium and, 39–42; x-rays and, 38–41
Becquerel, Jean, 402–3
becquerel unit, 40
Belgian Congo, 130, 425n24
Bell, Alexander Graham, 125
bergsucht, 81–82, 104
Berlin Physical Society, 26
beryllium, 59, 111–12, 423n76
beta particles, 45, 55, 58, 61, 155–56, 168, 184, 334, 419n7
Bible, 116, 221
Bikini Atoll, 164, 166–67, 171–73, 181–83, 186, 331, 393, 429n5, 430n8, 431n21
black swan theory, 363, 446n21
black widow spiders, 2
Blandy, William H. P., 183
blindness, 100, 149–50, 160
Blondot, Prosper-René, 398–404, 450n2
blood cells, 99, 102, 120, 136, 154, 156–57, 167, 174, 235, 426n39, 428n27
blood transfusions, 155, 157, 168, 178
Bluetooth devices, 322
body burden, 102–3, 336–37, 421n52
Bohr, Niels, 65
bomb shelters, 261, 393, 450n28
Bond, Victor P., 176
bones: calcium and, 49, 90, 155, 175, 181, 239, 247, 331, 333, 424n21; cuttlefish, 239; marrow and, 89, 97, 100, 155–58, 230, 428n28; mineral turnover in, 333; phosphorus and, 155–56; radium and, 88–92, 94, 97, 247, 281, 331, 333, 340; strontium and, 92, 175, 177–81, 331, 333; x-rays and, 24–26, 31, 38, 102, 242–43, 245, 268, 294, 299
bone seekers, 89–90, 92, 94, 175, 333
Bothe, Walther, 58–59
bounce-back experiments, 56–57, 62, 160, 214, 252, 423n77
Boxer, Elisa, 311
brachytherapy, 124–25, 131, 248, 417n27, 424n13, 425n27
Bradfield, W. W., 19
Bragg, Robert, 242–43, 246, 257, 259–60
Bragg, William Henry, 261; crystallography and, 254–55; death of, 262; moves to England, 244–46, 248; Nobel Prize and, 259; as prominent physicist, 237–38; radio waves and, 244; Rutherford and, 244–47, 251; x-rays and, 242–45, 254–55
Bragg, William “Willie” Lawrence: atomic nucleus and, 252; background of, 237–39; Cambridge University and, 248, 260; Cavendish Laboratory and, 248, 261; competitive mathematics exam of, 248; Crick and, 266–67; Crookes tubes and, 242–45, 294; crystallography and, 250–55; cuttlefish and, 239, 242, 269, 400; death of, 269; DNA and, 266–69; early academic accomplishments of, 248, 250; effective dose and, 294; electricity and, 245; electromagnetism and, 244, 251, 253; as first Australian to receive x-ray, 242; Lucky Jim and, 267–68; Nature journal and, 266–67; as “The Nobbler,” 259; Nobel Prize and, 249, 259, 269, 405; Pauling and, 267–68; prejudice toward, 248–49; radiation dose of, 294; radioisotopes and, 247; radio waves and, 244–45; radium and, 247–48; reserved nature of, 257; Rutherford and, 244–45, 248, 251–52, 261; safety and, 243; University of Manchester and, 261; Watson and, 266–68; World War I and, 259–61; World War II and, 261; x-rays and, 244–45, 249, 250–54, 255, 258–59, 268–69, 295
Bragg peak, 245–46
Bragg reflection, 254, 269
Bragg’s law, 249, 253–55, 265
brain cancer, 312–16, 321, 443n6
Branly, Édouard Eugène Désiré, 16–17, 54, 244
breast cancer: diagnostic radiography and, 297–302, 308; mammograms and, 297–304, 307–8, 334; radiation therapy and, 118, 128, 134–35; x-rays and, 413n45
Bremner, Robert Gunn, 132
British Chimney Sweep Act, 83
British X-Ray and Radium Protection Committee, 97
Brookhaven National Laboratories, 174, 182, 189
Brünn Society for the Study of Natural History, 208
Buesseler, Ken, 344–45
bulky adducts, 280
Buzz One Four, 375, 377, 383, 385, 387
Byers, Eben McBurney, 93–96, 340–42
bystander effect, 438n21
C-54 warplanes, 167
calcium, 49, 90, 155, 175, 181, 239, 247, 331, 333, 424n21
Cambridge University, 53–54, 60, 244, 246, 248, 254, 257–58, 260, 264
camouflage, 239, 269
canaries, 83–84, 182, 419n6
cancer, xi–xiii; age and, 297, 434n22; atomic bombs and, 187, 189–91, 193, 196–97, 199, 201–5, 283; bladder, 440n11; brachytherapy and, 124–25, 131, 248, 417n27, 424n13, 425n27; brain, 312–16, 321, 443nn6 and 14; breast, 118, 128, 134–35, 297–302, 308, 413n45; carcinogens and, 183, 189, 201, 205, 279, 283, 288, 312, 314, 316, 319–21, 435n31, 440n11, 444n14; case-control studies and, 194, 196–97, 204, 312–14; causation and, 317–20; cell phones and, 311–24; chemotherapy and, 139, 308, 426n41; cohort studies and, 194–98, 203–5, 279, 292, 312–14, 323, 328, 441n17; Crookes tubes and, 117, 121, 124–25, 133–34, 294; DNA and, 342; dose response and, 199, 314, 318–19; drugs for, 139, 308, 426n41; false-positives and, 291, 297–98, 301–2, 304, 308, 442n10; food and, 338–42; Franklin and, 267; gamma rays and, 36; gender and, 434n22; genetics and, 215, 229–30, 233, 269–71; gliomas and, 313–16, 443n14; hydrogen bomb and, 189; International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and, 312, 320, 443n14; ionizing radiation and, 190, 200, 434nn23 and 25; irritation preceding, 98; latency period and, 309, 313, 316, 318; leukemia, 97, 182, 188–89, 199, 313, 367; Life Span Study (LSS) and, 191, 196, 198–205, 227–29; lifetime risk of, 200, 285, 295–96, 339, 370, 443n6; linear no threshold (LNT) model and, 283–84, 440n11; lung, 81–86, 90, 104, 278–91, 302, 315, 318, 340–41, 358, 441n34; mammograms and, 297–304, 307–8, 334; measuring risk of, 187–205; nuclear power plants and, 358, 364–67, 370–71; number needed to harm (NNH) and, 285–86, 295–96, 299, 301, 306–7, 314–15, 321, 338, 343, 361, 365, 442n7; number needed to treat (NNT) and, 286, 300–301, 307, 343, 442n7; occupational illness and, 82–92, 97–98, 115, 288; odds of getting, 286–87; oncology and, 117, 134–35, 138, 140, 423n3, 441n1; population demographics and, 434n22; purple spots and, 187–89; radiation burns and, 31–32, 36–37, 67, 114, 121, 134, 149–52, 159, 163, 167–68, 174, 319; radiation risk and, 187–93, 199–205, 267, 269–71, 422n70, 448n39; radiation therapy and, 115–40, 246, 248, 257, 294–309, 417n27, 423n3, 424n13, 426n42; radioactive fallout and, 177, 182; radioisotopes and, 134, 168, 177–78, 182; radium and, 124–35, 190, 201, 279, 281, 289, 417n27; radon and, 85–86, 125, 131, 278–92; skin, 37, 123–24, 434n23; smoking and, 201, 279–80, 284–91, 302, 422n64, 441n34; thyroid, 176–77, 179, 182, 365–66; tumors and, 1, 115, 117, 120–25, 131–32, 134, 136–39, 204, 246, 299, 302, 304, 306, 313, 315–16, 318, 434n22, 441n1, 443n14; ultraviolet radiation and, 37; unknown unknowns and, 343; uranium and, 140, 190, 284; x-rays and, 31–32, 34, 84, 117–22, 124–25, 130–31, 133–38, 188, 190, 202, 204, 419n7
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, 127, 424n18
capitalism, 218–20
caprolactam, 320–21
carbon-12, 43–44, 46–47, 332
carbon-13, 43–44
carbon-14, 43–47, 54, 332, 420n17
carbonized bamboo, 10–11
carcinogens: cancer and, 183, 189, 201, 205, 279, 283, 288, 312, 314, 316, 319–21, 435n31, 440n11, 444n14; IARC classification system for, 312, 320–21
car
notite ore, 127–30, 279, 424nn17 and 21
Carroll, Lewis, 81, 374
case-control studies: cancer and, 194, 196–97, 204, 312–14; cell phones and, 312–14, 443n14; odds ratios and, 441n17; radon and, 279; relative risks and, 441n17
Castle Bravo, 170, 172, 189, 430n11
castration, 122, 223, 231, 423n9, 437n29
cathode rays, 22–24, 29
causation, 120, 317–20, 323
Cavendish Laboratory: atomic particles and, 54–55, 58–60, 62, 64–69, 246, 416nn4 and 12, 417n27; Barkla and, 404; Bragg and, 237, 245, 248, 250, 261, 268; Cathcart on, 414n4; DNA and, 261–66, 268; Feather and, 60, 425n31; linac and, 133; Nobel Prizes of, 262–63, 416n12; pioneering work of, 55; radiation safety and, 67–69; splitting the atom and, 246, 430n17
cell death, 156, 158, 230–31, 233, 256, 269–70, 428n27
cell phones, 1; amount of energy exposure from, 316–17; Bluetooth and, 322; cancer and, 311–24; carcinogens and, 312, 320–21, 443n14; case-control studies and, 312–14, 443n14; cohort studies and, 312–14, 323; coverage issues and, 311; DNA and, 319, 323, 443n11; dose response and, 314, 318–19; double-blind studies and, 323; electromagnetism and, 312, 322–24; epidemiology and, 312, 317–18, 320, 323; fear of, 311; gliomas and, 313–16, 443n14; headsets and, 321–22; hormesis and, 443n13; IEI-EMF and, 322–24; infertility and, 324–25; International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and, 312, 320, 443n14; INTERPHONE study and, 313–14, 318, 443n14; ionizing radiation and, 316, 319, 444n18; latency period and, 309, 313, 316, 318; microwaves and, 319, 443n11; neurological symptoms and, 322–24; nonionizing radiation and, 318–19, 419n7; number needed to harm (NNH) and, 314–15, 321; power usage of, 412n26; proximity to head, 312; radio waves and, 311–15, 320–21, 443n14; safety and, 311, 322; towers for, 311–12, 321; x-rays and, 316, 319
Center for Marine and Environmental Radioactivity (CMER), 344–45
central nervous system (CNS) syndrome, 152–54, 157, 168
cesium: clay and, 432n39; food and, 326, 330–39, 341, 343; Fukushima and, 331, 333; half-life of, 332; as manmade isotope, 336; nuclear fission of uranium and, 332; nuclear power plants and, 330–31, 333; place in periodic table, 333; radioactive fallout and, 177–78
Chadwick, James, 58–62, 161
Chargaff, Erwin, 264
Charpentier, Augustin, 400–401
Chase, Martha, 247, 328, 438n13
chemotherapy, 139, 308, 426n41
Cherenkov radiation, 422n72
Chernobyl nuclear power plant, 364–68, 428n28
Chicago Health Division (CHD), 106–7, 226–27
Chicago Pile, 73–74, 418n43, 431n18
chimney sweeps, 83, 319
cholera, 192–94, 317
Chrome Dome, 385–87, 389, 394
chromosomes, 211, 214–17, 221, 243, 256, 436n15
chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), 82
climate change, 289
Clinton, Bill, 431n27
coal tar, 319
cobalt, 82, 134, 184–85, 415n13, 426n38, 432n52
Cockcroft, John, 62–63, 67–68, 418n33
coconut crabs, 181, 331
cohort studies: cancer and, 194–98, 203–5, 279, 292, 312–14, 323, 328, 441n17; cell phones and, 312–14, 323; description of, 194–98; food and, 328; Hiroshima and, 191, 194, 196, 198–205, 227–29; Life Span Study (LSS) and, 191, 196, 198–205, 227–29; odds ratios and, 441n17; radon and, 279, 292; relative risks and, 441n17
cold fusion, 76
Cold War, 375, 392, 394
Colorado Plateau, 279
Columbia University, 210
Compton, Arthur Holly, 105
computerized tomography (CT) scan, 200–201, 303–7, 370, 434n26
conductivity, 17, 52
“Coney Island Funeral” (song), 14
conservation of charge, 45, 51, 58, 69
conservation of mass, 69–71
corona effects, 68, 166
cosmic radiation, 62, 75, 304, 418n45
Cox, John, 27, 54
craters, 173
Crick, Francis: background of, 263; Bragg and, 266–67; competition with Pauling, 263–67; DNA and, 234–35, 253, 263–67; double helix and, 265–67, 439n48; Nature journal and, 266–67; Nobel Prize and, 267
critical mass, 73–74, 110–11, 159–60, 355, 449n14
Cronkite, Eugene, 174, 176
Crookes, William, 22, 30, 49, 117, 402
Crookes tubes: availability of, 27, 41, 134; Becquerel and, 39; Blondot and, 398–99; Bragg and, 242–45; cancer and, 117, 121, 124–25, 133–34, 294; Cox and, 27; description of, 22, 418n29; Edison and, 30–32; effective dose and, 294; electromagnetism and, 29; fluorescence and, 22, 413n37; fluoroscope and, 30–32, 245; Grubbe and, 117; invention of, 22, 49; lack of standards for, 121; occupational illness and, 30–33; Roentgen and, 22–24, 27, 29–33; Tesla and, 413n37; as vacuum tubes, 23
Crowe, George, 67–68
crypt cells, 153–54, 156
crystallography: Astbury and, 258–59; Bragg reflection and, 254, 269; Bragg’s law and, 249, 253–55, 265; DNA and, 253, 256–59, 262–65; double helix and, 265–67, 439n48; fractures and, 251–52; Franklin and, 265; Pauling and, 263; x-rays and, 250–65
Cunning, Toulson, 20, 27, 54, 242
Curie, Irène, 59, 423n76
Curie, Marie: anemia and, 99–100, 157; death of, 100; death of students of, 100; gamma rays and, 93, 101; Meloney and, 92; MTD measurement and, 99; Nobel Prize and, 40, 47–48, 100, 415n18; N-rays and, 403; Pantheon burial of, 100–101; pitchblende and, 48, 425n29; polonium and, 48, 60; radioactivity of corpse of, 100–101; radium and, 48, 92–93, 100–101; safety and, 92–93; uranium and, 47–49; x-rays and, 93, 100–101
Curie, Pierre: death of students of, 100; mice experiments of, 420n30; MTD measurement and, 99; Nobel Prize and, 40, 47–48; N-rays and, 403; radium and, 48; uranium and, 47–49
cuttlefish, 239, 242, 269, 400
cytosine, 240, 264
Czolgosz, Leon Frank, 30
Daghlian, Harry K., Jr., 110–11
Dally, Clarence Madison, 31–33
Darwin, Charles, 141, 221–22, 431n20, 436n26
Darwin, Charles Galton, 251–52
Davy, Humphry, 10
Day, Donald, 311, 321
death rates, 15, 193, 291, 427n21
decay chain, 43, 85, 276, 425n29
Demalander, Maurice, 100
Demenitroux, Marcel, 100
Democritus, 51
deoxyribose, 240–41
dermatitis, 97–99
deuterium, 178, 430nn15 and 16, 431n29
Dexedrine, 385
diagnostic radiography, 1; CT scans and, 200–201, 303–7, 370, 434n26; effective dose and, 294–96, 298–99, 303, 306, 442n6; false-negatives and, 308; false-positives and, 291, 297–98, 301–2, 304, 308, 442n10; fear of, 2–3; mammograms and, 297–304, 307–8, 334; “moving target” argument and, 300, 360, 387; number needed to harm (NNH) and, 299, 301, 306–7, 442n7; number needed to treat (NNT) and, 300–301, 307, 442n7; Piscator and, 293–98; safety and, 293; x-rays and, 293–304, 307
dial painters: lip pointing and, 89, 92, 101; maximum tolerable dose (MTD) and, 99, 102–4, 107, 109, 421n52; occupational illness and, 86–92, 96–97, 100–103, 106, 175, 190, 247, 289, 331, 420n33, 425n23; protective gear and, 92; radium girls and, 89–90, 93, 96, 101, 106, 155, 175, 182, 281, 331; radon and, 289; settlements and, 92; strontium and, 175–76; worker protection and, 97, 100–101
direct current (DC), 12–13, 15, 32, 259, 350
dirty bombs, 379, 382
dispersive refraction, 9
DNA: adenine and, 240, 264; alpha helix and, 263, 265–66; amino acids and, 235–36, 241, 264; bacteria and, 438n13; Bragg and, 266–69; bulky adducts and, 280; bystander effect and, 438n21; cancer and, 342; cell death and, 230–31, 256, 269–70, 428n27; cell phones and, 319, 323, 443n11; chemical structure of, 241–42; Crick and, 234–35, 253, 263–67; crystallography and, 253, 256–59, 262–65; cyto
sine and, 240, 264; deoxyribose and, 240–41; discovery of, 234; as double helix, 265–67, 439n48; Franklin and, 263, 265, 267; guanine and, 240, 264; health issues and, 270–71; linear no threshold (LNT) model and, 283–84, 440n11; Miescher and, 235–37, 246; nuclein and, 236–37, 240; nucleobases and, 240, 264–66; Pauling and, 263–67; phosphate groups and, 234, 240, 247, 264–65, 267; polymers and, 235, 237, 240–41, 247, 264; proteins and, 235–37, 241, 244, 247, 255–58, 262–66, 328; purines and, 240; radioisotopes and, 247, 328; radio waves and, 342; radon and, 280, 283; relative simplicity of, 240–42, 266; as target of radiation, 235, 256–60, 270–71, 319, 334, 438nn20 and 21; thymine and, 240, 264; unknown unknowns and, 343; viruses and, 246–47, 328; Watson and, 233–35, 253, 263–68, 438n46; x-rays and, 250–65, 268–69
dominant genes, 209
Donovan, William, 311
Doom 99, 394
Dorn, Friedrich, 84
dose equivalence, 107–9, 334, 422n66, 437n38, 445n13
dose limits: genetics and, 229–30; maximum tolerable dose (MTD), 99, 102–4, 107, 109, 421n52; nuclear power plants and, 370–71, 448n39; occupational illness and, 97, 99, 101, 422n64; radiation sickness and, 428nn29 and 30; radon and, 283; worst-case scenarios and, 203
Strange Glow Page 52
