This book gives a detailed discussion of the initial enthusiasm triggered by the discovery of x-rays and radioactive radiation which later turned into fear and repulsion in a significant part of the global population up to the 21st century. After a historical review, the author discusses the effect of ionizing radiation on living cells, tissues and organisms. He then describes the relationship between the dose of radiation and the effect it produces. He shows how the dose-effect dependence is measured and what models of describing such dependences are used. He also discusses how radiation acts on living organisms: disorders in the genetic apparatus, mutation formation and so on. The book also includes detailed descriptions of the results of numerous health studies of large groups of people who, for one reason or another, were exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation, including those that significantly exceed the natural radiation background.

The author concludes that low doses of radiation are safe and can even be beneficial (as known from medical radiation treatment); and also that the natural radiation background is necessary for the normal growth and development and well-being of a living organism. The author also discusses cases and effects of large doses, arguing, however, that dangerous doses of radiation are very unlikely.

This book challenges radio-phobia. It not only offers arguments helping to overcome an unreasonable fear but, based on the latest understanding of science, argues to gradually move back, not to the former radio-euphoria, but to a new, conscious attitude towards radiation.

Autorentext

Ilya Obodovskiy was born in Moscow (former USSR) in 1935. He graduated from the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI) and then worked in this Institute as a lecturer and a researcher till his retirement. In 1968 he received a PhD. For a long time, he was engaged in various problems in nuclear physics and radiation protection. For several years he was a manager of the project "Detection of Mutagen and Carcinogen Hazard by Physico-chemical Techniques". For many years he studied the effects of radiation on a living organism. The results of his scientific works were published in more than 90 scientific papers and books. In 2001 he retired and lives in San Diego, California since. He is still an editorial board member of the Springer journal "Instruments and Experimental Techniques".