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3 July 2011

Cosmic Rays: Concerns on Exposures


#Here's a quick (and also the final segment) continuation from yesterday's post.


Although effects of ground level radiation exposure to cosmic rays are minimal to health, on high altitudes however, the radiation level is becoming a concern. (refer to the first graph on the last post)

Studies in the past have shown that commercial flight crews will receive more than 1 milli-sievert (mSv) which is the general public’s limit of radiation exposure limit. A round trip from Thailand to New York will result 0.28 mSv, which is about 10 times more than an exposure of a lung x-ray machine.Some transatlantic flight crews are even required to wear a radiation dosage badge to indicate the amount of exposures they receive on the trip.

Excessive exposures to radiation will result in the alteration of genetics and hence lead to cancer. This topic will be discussed next time.

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