Radiation and Reason: The Impact of Science on a Culture of Fear Paperback – October 23, 2009
by Wade Allison (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 43 ratings
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Paperback
AUD 37.72
Publisher : Wade Allison Publishing (October 23, 2009)
Language : English
Paperback : 216 pages
Customer Reviews: 4.4 out of 5 stars 43 ratings
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Wade Allison is a Fellow of Keble College and a Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford where he has studied and taught for over 40 years. His earlier research work was in high energy physics, in particular the radiation field of relativistic particles, but his interests and expertise have spread much wider. Now he is concerned with medical physics and the choices facing mankind. First he published Fundamental Physics for Probing and Imaging, an advanced textbook for his course at Oxford on physics in medicine and the wider environment. Then he published Radiation and Reason, a carefully argued popular science book aimed at the pervasive (and unjustified) fear of radiation (and all things nuclear). He recently "retired" and lectures widely, for schools, academics and the wider public, in Oxford, around the UK and abroad. Then came Fukushima - no surprises for Wade, but panic for those who had not yet read Radiation and Reason! His third book, Nuclear is for Life, gives the evidence and tells the story in a wider historical and philosophical context. The science is easy, but the reaction of human society has been science-blind. Now Wade is working on his fourth book. It is about real science, he says. It is the one he wanted to write in the first place!
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S. Duval
5.0 out of 5 stars Seminal work on radiation and safety
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2014
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Professor Wade has written the seminal work on radiation and safety. Prof. Wade taught and researched particle physics at Oxford for 40 years. He was not an English major or a sociology professor. In 2005 he developed a course and textbook on the use of radiation in medicine for imaging and cancer radiotherapy.
The book describes how the current fear of radiation developed. The safety standards set up in 1950 were based upon very little scientific knowledge or experience. They were designed to be very conservative and based upon the Linear No Threshold (LNT) theory. By 1990 these standards were tightened by a factor of 150. Prof Wade recommends that the safety standards be reduced by a factor of 6 from 1950 or 1000 from 1990.
Prof Wade relies upon empirical evidence to support his conclusion: medical history of survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, medical history of workers exposed to radiation, radiobiology, cancer radiotherapy, medical experiments on laboratory animals, and background radiation levels.
The nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki exposed hundreds of thousands of people to very high levels of single dose full body radiation. 280,000 survivors were tracked from 1950 to 1990 relative to a control group of 25,000 not exposed to radiation. 7.9% of the survivors died of cancer, 7.5% of natural causes and .4% from radiation induced cancer. Statistically significant radiation effects are seen for cancers but not for other causes of death or effects upon pregnancy. The level of cancer risk below 100 milli sieverts is so low that it can not be detected in a 50 year study involving 100,000 people. This contradicts the no threshold assumption of the LNT theory.
The average additional cancer rate per 1000 people over 50 years was 5 which corresponds to a 10 week reduction in life expectancy. But this number varied from 8 per thousand at 100-200 millisieverts to 90 per thousand above 2000 millisieverts.
The UK Ministry of Defense did a study of 170,000 workers exposed to an average of 25 millisievert of radiation above background radiation levels over their careers. These workers were tracked to age 85 or 2002 whichever came first. These workers suffered about 20% less cancers than the general population. This result is consistent with a threshold level at which radiation poses no danger and is suggestive of a positive effect resulting from low radiation doses.
Denver, at a high altitude, has radiation levels that are three times the safety standard set by the International Commission for Radiological Protection but a lower cancer rate than the US on average. This result is consistent with a threshold level at which radiation poses no danger and is suggestive of a positive effect resulting from low radiation doses.
Anti nuclear Greens will say that setting the radiation safety standards 1000 times lower than required is just erring on the side of safety. The problem is the effect that this standard has upon the lives of people living near a nuclear accident. No one died from radiation in Fukushima, 1600 people have died from the effects of the evacuation of Fukushima (suicides and people hospitalized at the time of the evacuation). Hundreds of thousands of people's lives have been turned completely upside down because the government will not allow them to return to their homes, their community, their businesses, and their jobs.
Green activists who whipped up the irrational fear of radiation during the Fukushima crisis have blood on their hands.
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TaxiDrivin' Daddy
4.0 out of 5 stars Very basic so as not to skip any details.
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2016
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A bit basic for many who did well in high school science, there are still many excellent insights peppered throughout which are not often articulated partly because they are taken for granted by those who already know. Radiation is certainly something to be wary of in much the same way as being out in the sun for more than an hour. Wait - that's the same thing....
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Duke of Waiheke
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for the lay person
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2014
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This book is very useful for the lay person. Whilst some of the matter is technical it still can be grasped. It provides the information with which a person can make informed judgements about nuclear power and to put its associated risks in perspective. It is of use to people who would like to be informed about the world around them.I believe this book will not be useful to those who have already made up their minds as to the unacceptability of nuclear power. If you are one of these people then do not read this book. It will challenge your beliefs.
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Charles F. Hawkins
5.0 out of 5 stars Pubic fear of nuclear is killing us
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2015
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The book is clearly written getting to the heart nuclear reactors. It gets high marks for that. The one disappointment was thorium. There was a short summary of its magic properties, no follow up. Th deserves the detailed description of the other technologies. I kept waiting for one as I read on. Otherwise an excellent book..
4 people found this helpful
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gjellerup
5.0 out of 5 stars Puts Radiation Exposure in Perspective
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2012
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Dr. Wade Allison has written an impressive book explaining what radiation is, how it works, and what it can and cannot do. All life developed in a sea of natural radiation and we are still continuously exposed to it today. Some studies indicate that life cannot survive without it. Other studies indicate that low-dose radiation stimulates the DNA repair system. Fear-mongering about radiation doses tinier than the ones you receive flying in a jet or visiting the American Southwest have led people to panic about nuclear power while ignoring the enormous annual death toll from fossil fuel emissions. An important book on an important topic.
9 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The world needed this book 20 years ago
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2013
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France has been producing electricity with nuclear power for less than 80 grams of CO2 per kilowatt hour for over
20 years. Meanwhile German electricity generates 6 times as much CO2 per kilowatt hour and Australia's generates
over 10 times more. Just imagine if the anti-nuclear movement hadn't stopped the nuclear
roll out in the 80s and 90s in the US and elsewhere. We'd all have much cleaner electricity and climate change would
be far less critical. Ignorance about radiation drove the fear mongering and we have lost, as a consequence
20 years on the battle against climate change.
The suffering at Fukushima could also have been avoided. The public could have and should have been back rebuilding
their lives. But instead they are homeless and traumatised, a savage testimony to the power of ignorance to terrify.
8 people found this helpful
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Matt Robinson
5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for everyone.
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2014
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A clear and concise call to everyone to re-evaluate their position on the real dangers of radiation and consequently their feelings about nuclear power. A must- read.
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Cssor
4.0 out of 5 stars Nuclear energy and global warming
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2019
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I found this book useful regarding nuclear energy from my standpoint, as I'm no physic's expert, the technical detail is to some extent quite involved, however as a layman it was not to bad. However, it implies the safety regime applied to Nuclear energy appears in some areas way over the top. Given that nuclear generators do not contribute to global warming, and the waste they produced is minimal compared to carbon fuelled generators. Also it suggest's this energy source, could supply our future carbon free energy needs. Any one interested in this subject, I feel the book is worth a read.
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Skote123
5.0 out of 5 stars Should be required reading for policymakers and politicians
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 22, 2015
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Everyone who spouts opinion in the pub, workplace or worst of all in the media about nuclear matters, Chernobyl, Fukushima and so on should read this book and educate themselves on such an emotive subject. You don't need to be a scientist to read and understand this book and be prepared, it will change (unless you're completely close-minded) the way you think about radioactivity. Wade Allison is in his own informative way (as does the documentary "Pandora's Promise") challenging the prevailing and incorrect scaremongering cliches that surround radiation. Three eyed fish? Glowing green rods? Mass cancers? Duck and cover? Mushroom clouds above power stations? No. Read this and think again. If only our leaders who grew up in the Cold War and cut their political teeth in the CND era rad this book, there might be more reasoned debate about energy matters, public safety and climate change going on.
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William Rees
5.0 out of 5 stars Rational and Worthwhile
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 23, 2014
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Wade Allison may well be a high flying academic but "Radiation and Reason" is far from being a dry academic tome. It deliberately sets out to challenge your preconceptions about radiation and nuclear power. Particularly it challenges the many bizarre old wives tales that surround nuclear radiation.
I suspect the people who are in most need of enlightenment from this book are so locked in their medieval dogma they would regard it as a heresy. Consequently they are not likely to read it. Which is a shame.
Even so, for the rest of us, it is a worthwhile and rational exploration of the issues surrounding nuclear radiation.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Should be compulsory reading
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 30, 2016
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This is a truly eye-opening book that successfully challenges the lies and deceit surrounding radiation and nuclear power. Wade Allison builds a convincing case, aptly using historical examples to highlight the disconnect between perceptions and reality. It is refreshing to see that someone decides to challenge a status quo that has been taken for granted for too long, as it has done so much damage to the nuclear cause. Until we change the way we talk and teach about radiation, everyone should read this book!
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Urs Bolt
5.0 out of 5 stars Fundamental reading to understand radiation
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2014
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This book helped me to lose the irrational fear of radiation which is common in the public. But to help others the book also explains in understandable scientific terms what the facts backed by credible references, experiences and studies are.
Important reading for those with radiophobia or in general still shuddering when the word nuclear radiation is mentioned. It will certainly help you to rethink your opinion.
One person found this helpful
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charles f hawkins
Mar 23, 2015charles f hawkins rated it did not like it · review of another edition
Pubic fear of nuclear is killing us
The book is clearly written getting to the heart nuclear reactors. It gets high marks for that. The one disappointment was thorium. There was a short summary of its magic properties, no follow up. Th deserves the detailed description of the other technologies. I kept waiting for one as I read on. Otherwise an excellent book..
flag1 like · Like · 1 comment · see review
Marie
May 10, 2015Marie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Everything Professor Wade Allison says makes a lot of sense.
I never thought I would say this, but this book has given me much hope for the potential of nuclear power.
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Tracey Timko
Sep 06, 2019Tracey Timko rated it it was amazing
Side notes from an Oxford professor, yes, please. Anything that gives the educational side of radiation and playing down fear is a plus for me. This book adds clarity to the propaganda of radiation throughout the last century and makes me less concerned about the tiny dose we get for medical, dental, etc. reminding us that sun is also toxic in certain amounts along with many other elements that we live with everyday. A shame that one man stating that ANY dose is too much is the scale we still use to this day. He isn't alone in what level we need to raise the bar to as far as threshold and I had no idea this is utilized currently by some hospitals after doing my own research, ie. Michigan. He highlights the evolved immunity of human beings and how we are designed to deal with certain amounts of radiation perfectly fine and even healthier because of it. Without the fear and political nightmares...if there was more respect for science vs politics, we could someday live in a world that runs on nuclear and power the entire planet, make it cleaner again and feed billions of people...also, travel to other planets. I'm totally there with what this book explains. (less)
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Christopher
Jul 15, 2017Christopher rated it really liked it
A bit basic for many who did well in high school science, there are still many excellent insights peppered throughout which are not often articulated partly because they are taken for granted by those who already know. Radiation is certainly something to be wary of in much the same way as being out in the sun for more than an hour. Wait - that's the same thing.... (less)
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