Radiation and Human Health

Where is it? Radiation is part of our everyday lives. We are all exposed to radiation from the sun and in the atmosphere; naturally occurring radioactive materials are present in the earth, the houses we live in, and the foods we eat. Radioactive gases are mixed in the air we breathe; and even our own bodies contain naturally occurring elements that are radioactive. This inescapable radiation exposure is called "natural background" and it varies from place to place.