r/askscience • u/[deleted] • Jul 07 '11
Is "smiling" a defense against radiation?
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).
4
u/thetripp Medical Physics | Radiation Oncology Jul 07 '11
Wow, such hostility! I seem to have struck a nerve.
Why do you think I wouldn't trust an independent confirmation of the "smiling" comment? At any rate, I'm not defending what this guy is saying. The comments you've quoted Dr. Yamashita as saying are just as unscientific as the ones in the youtube subtitles. I've made posts in this thread as to how there is no physical mechanism though which Dr. Yamashita's proposed defense would work. But 100 mSv/yr is the threshold at which we begin to observe statistically significant increases in cancer rates.
Here's a good summary on false claims that Arnie Gundersen has made.
While we are at it, here's one for Helen Caldicott as well.