Comments on: DARPA discovers improved radiation exposure treatment https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/07/darpa-discovers-improved-radiation-exposure-treatment/ Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:20:54 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/07/darpa-discovers-improved-radiation-exposure-treatment/#comment-10520 TB Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:42:42 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=7299#comment-10520 <p>The DARPA website had basically the same news release.</p> I couldn't find any paper. I believe that generally, the actual damage is the same from all forms of ionizing radiation. I think most of the differences come in the mechanism and location of dosages, energy of the dose, and shielding requirements for different things. Alpha radiation, for example, can be stopped by a sheet of cardboard, but if the emitter (such as a plutonium particle) is imbedded inside the body, it can do a lot of damage. High-energy neutrons have the ability to make other things radioactive, something other forms of radiation don't do. A can of soup buried in fallout is safe to eat, assuming you can manage to retrieve it and clean it off somehow. The DARPA website had basically the same news release.

I couldn’t find any paper.

I believe that generally, the actual damage is the same from all forms of ionizing radiation.

I think most of the differences come in the mechanism and location of dosages, energy of the dose, and shielding requirements for different things.

Alpha radiation, for example, can be stopped by a sheet of cardboard, but if the emitter (such as a plutonium particle) is imbedded inside the body, it can do a lot of damage.

High-energy neutrons have the ability to make other things radioactive, something other forms of radiation don’t do. A can of soup buried in fallout is safe to eat, assuming you can manage to retrieve it and clean it off somehow.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/07/darpa-discovers-improved-radiation-exposure-treatment/#comment-10509 ER Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:58:05 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=7299#comment-10509 Hmmmm. I wonder if the type of radiation matters. I imagine that the type of ionizing radiation, alpha, beta or gamma, and whether it is from external peentrating irradiation or from ingested particulates makes a difference in the type of tissue damage. And what about exotics like neutron bombardment (of sheltered troops, from an air burst).I also wonder what they mean by "protect". Do they mean like "protect a soldier until he can complete his mission". Hmmmm. I wonder if the type of radiation matters. I imagine that the type of ionizing radiation, alpha, beta or gamma, and whether it is from external peentrating irradiation or from ingested particulates makes a difference in the type of tissue damage. And what about exotics like neutron bombardment (of sheltered troops, from an air burst).I also wonder what they mean by “protect”. Do they mean like “protect a soldier until he can complete his mission”.

]]>