Radiation has a bad rap. It is often misunderstood, leading to public fear.
Many people are unaware of their constant exposure to radiation from various places, including terrestrial and cosmic sources, food, water and natural radioactivity within their bodies. Unfortunately, most news reports fail to provide a clear perspective on radiation doses, making it difficult for the public to make informed decisions about the associated risks.
While high doses of radiation are widely known to be harmful to human health and the environment, the health impacts of low-dose radiation are not well understood, due to high background rates of cancer and other health issues. The invisible nature of these effects makes them hard to detect, if they are present at all.