EBOOK Radioactivity: A Very Short Introduction

You cannot hide from radioactivity. Even the book you are holding is slightly        radioactive, but there are more serious risks. Radioactivity - the breakdown of        unstable atomic nuclei, releasing radiation - is a fundamental process in nature. It        is a process that has been harnessed to provide wide and important applications in        science, medicine, industry, and energy production. But it remains much        misunderstood - and feared, perhaps because nuclear radiation cannot be detected by        humansenses, and can undoubtedly do great harm if appropriate precautions are not        taken. In recent times there have been increasing concerns about nuclear        terrorism.The traces of radioactive atoms in rocks have allowed us to understand the        nature and history of the Earth, in particular to date events in that history.          Radioactive dating has been used for a variety of purposes, from determining the age        of the first hominids to the dating of the Turin Shroud. The discovery of        radioactivity has improved our survival kit, but also gave us the chance to reach a        new level of awareness on the history of our species and its environmental        impacts.In this Very Short Introduction, Claudio Tuniz explains the nature of        radioactivity and discuss its role in nature. Describing radioactivity in the stars        and in the Earth, he also looks at its wide range of applications in biomedicine and        in science, as well as the mechanisms of nuclear fission and fusion, and the        harnessing of nuclear power.