High doses do little harm under controlled circumstances (Image: Age Fotostock/SuperStock)

Our attitude to ionising radiation is irrational, and easing safety limits would do far more good than harm, says Wade Allison

THE word “radiation” frightens people, and little wonder. Ever since the cold war, the prevailing view has been that ionising radiation can do real harm to us without being seen or felt – and should be avoided at all costs. In fact radiation is much less harmful than we feared. Given the availability of carbon-free nuclear power, this makes a sea change in our view of radiation rather urgent. …