Fata attraction.(Deadly Sunshine: The History and Fatal Legacy of Radium)(Book review)

From: Chemistry and Industry | Date: May 1, 2006 | Copyright information

Sun worship

Deadly sunshine: the history and fatal legacy of radium

David Harvie

When Marie and Pierre Curie separated radium from the uranium ore pitch-blende, they opened a Pandora's box that was not to be closed for more than 60 years. During this time, this new and dangerously radioactive element found its way into almost every hospital and home in the western world. Surgeons applied its intense radiation to kill cancerous growths, while paint manufacturers combined it with zinc sulphide to make luminous figures, especially for clocks and watches, so that it ...

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