• Question: Is there any daily life elements/substances that can protect humans from nucleur bombs?

    Asked by Helena to Giuditta on 11 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Giuditta Perversi

      Giuditta Perversi answered on 11 Nov 2015:


      Nuclear bombs are tricky because the blast that they create is so strong that most of the harm that they create is not connected with radiation.

      You can have anti-bomb shelters specific for nuclear weapons, that will be insulated with tick wall of something heavy like Lead (Pb) to block both really strong and energetic ionizing radiations (like gamma rays) and neutrons.

      If there is a radiation emergency, there are chemical substances that can protect temporarily from radiation damage, like potassium iodide, prussian blue (yes, the colourant!), and an acetate called DTPA.
      All of them are capable of blocking a particular kind of radioactive element for a short period of time, so they can actually help in an emergency!

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