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The Scary But True Story Of The Poison That Made People Glow In The Dark

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The Radium Girls: Young Readers' Edition: The Scary but True Story of the Poison that Made People Glow in the Dark

by Kate Moore

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	7774 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	372 pages

Radium is a radioactive element that was once hailed as a miracle cure for everything from cancer to arthritis. But in the early 20th century, radium's deadly secret was revealed when it was discovered that it could cause fatal illnesses, including cancer.

The story of radium is a fascinating and horrifying one, and it's a story that's still relevant today. Radium is still used in some medical applications, and it's also found in some consumer products, such as glow-in-the-dark toys and paints.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at the history of radium, and we'll explore the tragic story of the Radium Girls. These young women worked in factories that painted watch dials with radium, and they were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation. Many of the Radium Girls died from cancer, and their deaths helped to raise awareness of the dangers of radium.

The Discovery Of Radium

Radium was discovered in 1898 by Marie Curie and her husband, Pierre Curie. The Curies were studying uranium ore when they discovered that it contained two new elements, which they named polonium and radium.

Radium is a radioactive element, and it emits alpha, beta, and gamma rays. Alpha and beta rays are particles that can be stopped by a sheet of paper or a few centimeters of air, but gamma rays are much more penetrating. Gamma rays can travel through several meters of air or concrete, and they can even penetrate the human body.

The Curies were fascinated by radium, and they quickly realized that it had great potential for medical applications. They believed that radium could be used to treat cancer, and they began to experiment with different ways to use it.

The Radium Girls

In the early 20th century, radium was used in a variety of consumer products, including glow-in-the-dark toys and paints. One of the most popular uses of radium was in the painting of watch dials.

The women who worked in the factories that painted watch dials with radium were known as the Radium Girls. These young women were often unaware of the dangers of radium, and they were not given any protective gear. As a result, they were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation.

Many of the Radium Girls began to experience health problems, including anemia, bone pain, and cancer. Some of the Radium Girls died from cancer, and their deaths helped to raise awareness of the dangers of radium.

The Legacy Of Radium

The story of the Radium Girls is a tragic one, but it also helped to raise awareness of the dangers of radium. Today, radium is still used in some medical applications, but it is used with much more caution.

The legacy of radium is a reminder that even the most promising new technologies can have unforeseen consequences. It's important to be aware of the risks of any new technology, and to use it with caution.

The story of radium is a fascinating and horrifying one. It's a story of scientific discovery, medical breakthroughs, and human tragedy. It's a story that's still relevant today, and it's a story that we should all know.

The Radium Girls: Young Readers' Edition: The Scary but True Story of the Poison that Made People Glow in the Dark

by Kate Moore

4.7 out of 5