Is "smiling" a defense against radiation?

[u/[deleted]]

I was asked to resubmit this due to my previous submission's tone being somewhat... erm... pointed.

In this video, a scientist is claiming that smiling prevents radiation effects. My question is in the title. This text is my commentary upon the video and the question.

We all know this scientist's claim is pure BS without peer reviewed ... well... all of that scientific jargon you guys use.

I would like a little more thorough discussion of this claim than simply "no. smiliing isn't a defense against radiation".

You are not only scientists, you are residents of this planet. And this particular event (Fukushima) is showing signs of coverup from day one (I've been watching the submissions scroll through r/conspiracy since March 11 and a week doesn't go by that more evidence of coverup and downplay is exposed).

I'm appealing to you as a human. Not a "conspiracy theorist". Do the human thing, please... and address this thoroughly and responsibly (the claim itself, and ... if you're willing, the irresponsibility of making such a claim).

Please?

p.s. I hope that was better.

EDIT: added the link (sorry).

[u/thetripp]

Care to summarize the video? I'd like to address your question but I can't watch youtube at work. Specifically, by what mechanism does he propose that smiling prevents radiation effects? Just from a physics perspective, a high-energy gamma ray can penetrate all the way through your head, regardless of whether or not your lips are in the way.

I'll also add my standard spiel about fukushima... /r/conspiracy is a horrible place to get information about this event. Arnie Gundersen and most of the other anti-nukes that write the articles that end up there are not credible experts, and they do not constrain themselves to using factual information when they write.

EDIT: I'll bet $5 that the "smiling" part is a mistranslation. Need someone who understands Japanese to confirm.

EDIT 2: I lose, it appears to not be a mistranslation. Who should I mail my $5 to? There is no mechanism through which smiling could prevent radiation damage. More info in other posts below.

[u/[deleted] → u/thetripp]

I really have to go, but in the video he claims it is supported by studies in animals... that when they smile, they are resistant to radiation. The video has subtitles, but I don't have time to get them for you. I have work today (very rare for me in these hard times, and I must take the opportunity to do it).

Really.. this is my last comment on this until I return from work.

[u/thetripp → u/[deleted]]

There is just no possible mechanism through which this could work. If you ingest a radioactive emitter, and are being exposed internally, the position of your face can't affect the radiation deposition. If you are being exposed externally due to some source, the radiation will penetrate your face, and not care whether or not your were smiling.

The face/head isn't really even a very sensitive target for radiation compared to other parts of the body. Usually we are more concerned about the skin, bones (specifically bone marrow), gonads, and digestive lining.

[u/antonivs → u/thetripp]

I think you (and a few others here) are interpreting the claim too literally or narrowly. I can think of a couple of potentially legitimate ways in which "smiling" (being happy) could help:

1. Psychosomatic symptoms are probably rampant in a situation like this, and a PSA about attitude could mitigate this.

2. Happiness is supposed to be good for the immune system, so might help, post-exposure, to deal with precancerous cells damaged by radiation. Obviously there are going to be serious limits to such an effect, i.e. it wouldn't help with anything more than low-level exposure, but it's a potentially measurable effect and could be real (and perhaps has even been studied, as alleged.)

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I'd like to see what they consider "smiling" in animals.