It’s true–I often forget how people strain what they read through the filter of their own pre-conceived notions. It’s as though they see a key word or two that trigger a pre-programmed expectation, and after that all they see is what they expect to see, not what’s actually there.

A CDV-700 is a “geiger counter” but you’re talking about some mighty low levels of radiation there…

Excellent post that you have on your site! Thanks for the mention, and I urge all other readers to check it out too! (the link is in the comment up above)

Another thing to keep in mind is that not only does the media often blow things out of proportion and deliver news that is out of context, but that we as readers have a responsibility to ourselves to make sure that we are not interpreting material out-of-context, or rather, with a sort of “selective reading”.

It’s unfortunately the case that even an article that - as you say - “remains moderate while providing a significant amount of tantalizing and fascinating information” can still be spun, mashed and remixed in a reader’s mind if he or she really wants to make a point (even if the article doesn’t support it).

So yes, the media has a responsibility that it’s not exactly living up to, but we each have an individual responsibility as well. Let’s make sure that we uphold our end!

Oh heck, go read it here: http://www.burningvoid.com/weblog/thoughts/2007/04/keeping_our_glowing_heads.html

Damn it! You’re right! But it still looks damn cool. ;)

Thanks for stopping by to read the article and leave your comments! I’m glad to see a professional health physicist weighing in here, and would like to remind readers to read your comments and take them to heart rather than taking the paranoid approach by throwing away the smoke detectors. ;)

Just to clarify, I too pointed out that there is no danger in Brazil Nuts:

“Though the radioactivity of the nut is the highest found in any food…there is little to no risk of ill-effect from eating the nuts, even in quantity.”

And the closing statement that you (Fallout Boy) quote was intended as a much more general statement than merely a warning to not eat nuts, read magazines or use salt. ;)

As you both mentioned the natural level of radiation in our environment, I point you back to this quote from the article:

“Despite the prestige of occupying the top radioactive spot, the amount stored and radiated is nevertheless miniscule and simply does not compare to the level of radiation found elsewhere in our daily lives.”

Lest anyone else get the wrong impression from the article though, let me officially say it now - the nuts are safe. ;) Eat ‘em up!

Thanks for adding your thoughts! Keep them coming!

To describe the radioactivity of things like smoke detector sources (which you would have to eat to be affected by its radioactivity) and magazines as dangerous is a gross exaggeration. The dose of radiation received from the sources you mentioned is insignificant compared to the dose that we receive from natural sources (

Take a look at the article, Brazil Nuts: For That Healthy Glow, and make sure to read through the entire thing, particularly the material near the end regarding the hidden and poorly-understood dangers that may lie in everyday things. Then pick an ever…

One thing I loathe is extremism, in pretty much all of its forms. I don’t care whether you’re conservative or liberal, anti-war or pro-whatever, odds are if you’re at the far extreme of a position, you’re ignoring some sort of basic truth about a m…