Rad bracelets... radiation for sale? :(

[TechyBen]

This seems past a scam, and more dangerous than usual.

 

Radioactive materials used in "energy/negative ion" bracelets.

 

 

I understand some of these might be tiny amounts or background type "radiation" (some are not "radiation" but actual, literal radioactive materials!) and I am amazed Amazon is selling these!

Saying that, fire alarms and glow in the dark key rings also have radioactive materials. But these are usually much more regulated and safe, plus not a scam, unless your fire alarm stops working.

 

I'm kinda scared for the average intelligence of the human race if these products are selling.

[atxcyclist]

No audio on this computer, do they say what material is in them? Smoke detectors do have americium in them, which is an alpha emitter and relatively safe, but there was the Radioactive Boy Scout, that made a sub-critical reactor (tried at least) with discarded smoke detectors. He ended up getting radiation poisoning, and the EPA declared the shed he worked in and property the shed was on a superfund site. 

 

I still wish they made radium watch faces, if workers had not been told to "point" their paint brushes by licking them, they probably still would be.

[TechyBen]

2 minutes ago, atxcyclist said:

No audio on this computer, do they say what material is in them? Smoke detectors do have americium in them, which is an alpha emitter and relatively safe, but there was the Radioactive Boy Scout, that made a sub-critical reactor (tried at least) with discarded smoke detectors. He ended up getting radiation poisoning, and the EPA declared the shed he worked in and property the shed was on a superfund site. 

 

I still wish they made radium watch faces, if workers had not been told to "point" their paint brushes by licking them, they probably still would be.

Oh, it's worse. I just got to the end of the video. One off exposure is fine. But as these are bracelets and blankets (he did not buy the blanket to test though) are meant for 24 hour/daily use. So you'll hit health dangerous levels (long term, cancer etc) after a year for certain. Similar to having your X-ray quota constantly every year or more.

 

Turns out they are full of Thorium. So not strong enough to burn (obligatory image below) but strong enough to be a problem. He mentions "below the legal limit", but again, wear 2, 3 or 4 of these and suddenly your over that (2 bracelets, a pendant and a blanket with the socks/pants and your glowing in the dark. XD ).

 

[atxcyclist]

Just now, TechyBen said:

Oh, it's worse. I just got to the end of the video. One off exposure is fine. But as these are bracelets and blankets (he did not buy the blanket to test though) are meant for 24 hour/daily use. So you'll hit health dangerous levels (long term, cancer etc) after a year for certain. Similar to having your X-ray quota constantly every year or more.

 

Turns out they are full of Thorium. So not strong enough to burn (obligatory image below) but strong enough to be a problem. He mentions "below the legal limit", but again, wear 2, 3 or 4 of these and suddenly your over that (2 bracelets, a pendant and a blanket with the socks/pants and your glowing in the dark. XD ).

 

 

 

Interesting. Thorium is also an alpha emitter, and it's what's used in old gas lantern mantles and I think atomic clocks(?). Alpha radiation is basically stopped with a piece of paper, so containing it is rather easy, but if a blanket had thorium "infused" into it and fibers/particles got released into the air and breathed-in, that's a cancer risk. Thorium mantles are not common anymore because of this, and there were warnings even back in the day about breathing the dust created by burned-out lantern mantles.

[TechyBen]

6 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_radiation_therapy#Commercialization,_quackery,_and_the_end_of_an_era_(1915–1935)

 

that is all

Yeah, I remember reading that (and seeing other stories on it)... kinda falsely remembered it being earlier in the 1900s or late 1800s... I was being too positive on our history and development. Only just 100 years ago, and we are now repeating it.

 

5 minutes ago, atxcyclist said:

 

Interesting. Thorium is also an alpha emitter, and it's what's used in old gas lantern mantles and I think atomic clocks(?). Alpha radiation is basically stopped with a piece of paper, so containing it is rather easy, but if a blanket had thorium "infused" into it and fibers/particles got released into the air and breathed-in, that's a cancer risk. Thorium mantles are not common anymore because of this, and there were warnings even back in the day about breathing the dust created by burned-out lantern mantles.

Looks like it's just powder. So can easily leak/fall/wash off.