The dangers of radiophobia
By David Ropeik | September 2, 2016
Deep fear of nuclear radiation is widespread, yet research on radiation’s biological effects finds that the level of alarm far exceeds the actual danger. This “radiophobia” has roots in the fear of nuclear weapons, but has been significantly reinforced and inflamed by accidents at nuclear power plants. Radiophobia does far more harm to human health than the radiation released by nuclear accidents. In some cases, the harm results from disaster response. The influence of radiophobia on society’s energy choices poses great additional dangers.
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Issue: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Volume 72 Issue 5
Keywords: Chernobyl, Fukushima, nuclear energy, radiation, radiophobia, risk perception
Topics: Uncategorized
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David Ropeik
David Ropeik is an instructor in the Environmental Management Program of the Harvard Extension School, a consultant in risk communication, and author... Read More
