“I have discovered something interesting, but I do not know whether or not my observations are correct.” With these words, Wilhelm Röntgen introduced the world to an invisible power, a power which would in turn be used to both harm and heal. This week, we take a tour of the wide world of radiation, starting with a primer on what radiation actually is and how it works, courtesy of Dr. Timothy Jorgensen, Associate Professor of Radiation Medicine and Director of the Health Physics and Radiation Protection Graduate Program, Georgetown University. Then we discuss the nitty gritty on what radiation does to you on a cellular level. We follow that up with a stroll through some of the major moments in the history of radiation - from X-rays to atomic bombs and from radioluminescent paint to cancer treatments. Finally we wrap things up by chatting about the many amazing medical applications of radiation therapy and how you can assess the risk/benefit of that X-ray or mammogram.
To read Dr. Jorgensen’s incredible book Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation, check out his website or head to our website for our full list of sources.
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Ep 111 RSV: What’s syncytial anyway?
Ep 110 Influenza, Take 2: Fowl Play
Ep 109 Chikungunya: Not dengue (or is it?)
Ep 108 Gout: Toetally fascinating
Ep 107 Sepsis: It's a mess
Ep 106 Turner Syndrome: Let's talk about X
Ep 105 Down in the Mumps
Ep 104 The Bends: Industrial Revolution, baby
Ep 103 Leptospirosis: Don't blame the rats
Ep 102 Arsenic: Paris Green with Envy
Ep 101 Immortality: This Podcast Won't Kill You
Ep 100 Monkeypox: Here we go again?
Ep 99 Salmonella: A hard egg to crack
Ep 98 Folate: Marmite, anyone?
Special Episode: Snake Venom Evolution
Ep 97 Snake Venom: Collateral Damage
Special Episode: Coprolites!
Ep 96 Tapeworm: We encyst you listen
Special Episode: On the Origin of Epidemiology
Ep 95 Tetanus: An inhuman calamity!
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