Radiation and modern life
Subtitle: fulfilling Marie Curie's dream
By: Alan E. Waltar ; introduction by Helene Langevin-Joliot
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Published: 2004
Place of publication: Amherst, N.Y
Language: eng
Number of pages: 336
ISBN-13: 9781591022503
Subjects: Radiation chemistry; Gevaren; Radioactiviteit; Radioisotopes; Radiation; Industrial applications; Sociale aspecten; Toepassingen; Ionizing Radiation; Technology Transfer
Description: "In this overview of radiation's many great benefits and as yet untapped potential, Dr. Alan E. Waltar, past president of the American Nuclear Society, explains how this important energy source has been harnessed to serve a plethora of humanitarian functions. Through the use of anecdotes, Waltar provides numerous examples of radiation's many uses in agriculture, medicine, electricity generation, modern industry, transportation, public safety, environmental protection, space exploration, and even archeology and the arts. Estimating the total financial contribution of all these varied uses, Waltar comes to the revelation that radiation technology now contributes more than $420 billion to the US economy and provides over 4.4 million jobs. In the future, Dr. Waltar foresees continuous improvement in many areas of science, industry, and medicine through tapping the incredible potential of Marie Curie's initial insights."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 307-317) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: Marie Curie and the world of radiation / Hélène Langevin-Joliot; title: Our common quest for life; title: Thriving in radiation; title: Harnessing radiation; title: Agriculture; title: Medicine; title: Electricity; title: Modern industry; title: Transportation; title: Space exploration; title: Terrorism, crime, and public safety; title: Arts and sciences; title: Environmental protection; title: Modern economy; title: A day with the atom; title: A glimpse into the future.