Radiation

Scientists at North Carolina State University have developed a technique that could allow bricks and other common building materials to act as "cameras" that reveal the location and distribution of radioactive materials once in their vicinity.

Grey whales may be "blinded" by solar storms, according to a new study. The solar activity interferes with the whales’ internal magnetic navigation system, causing them to become stranded on the shore, often resulting in death.

Rust may be generally unwelcome, but scientists at North Carolina State University are using it to develop a new radiation shielding that is lighter and cheaper than conventional materials. It promises weight savings of at least 30 percent.

A solar super-storm capable of seriously disrupting modern day technology has erupted from our Sun on average once every 25 years, according to a new study. The research used data collected by stations in the UK and Australia dating back 150 years.

Radiation therapy is currently our best shot at treating cancer, but healthy cells often become unfortunate collateral damage. New research shows how the treatment can be made safer by reducing the time involved from weeks to seconds.

New research, led by scientists from the University of Rochester, has homed in on a mechanism responsible for causing the cognitive impairment seen in patients who receive cranial radiotherapy for brain cancer.

A team of scientists has discovered a new, stable form of plutonium – and done so by accident. The famously unstable element is tricky to transport, store and dispose of, but the find could lead to new ways to tackle those problems.

The Netherlands' NRG has completed a major milestone irradiation test of molten nuclear fuel salts in its High Flux Reactor north of Amsterdam.

​A radioactive cloud spread over Europe in late 2017. Despite official denials, all the evidence pointed to Russia. A new study tracking over 1,000 atmospheric measurements suggests an unreported nuclear accident did likely occur at the Mayak facility in the Southern Ural mountains of Russia.

Mold spores commonly found aboard the International Space Station (ISS) turn out to be radiation resistant enough to survive 200 times the X-ray dose needed to kill a human being, indicating that sterilizing interplanetary spacecraft may be much more difficult than previously thought.

The hole in the ozone layer may be on the mend, but its environmental impacts are ongoing. A new review study has examined the effects that the extra UV radiation is having on the environment, such as shifting climate zones, changing ocean temperatures and making some species more vulnerable.

Radiotherapy is effective for killing cancer, but it harms healthy cells at the same time. Now researchers have found that boosting levels of a certain protein can protect against radiation damage, which could help cancer patients, victims of nuclear disasters, and future space travellers.