Unbelievable man using radiation detector in the kitchen

When we think about radiation, we rarely consider the levels inside our homes, but a Minnesota resident revealed unexpectedly high levels he found that shocked the internet.

User u/thecolorofblind shared an unusually high Geiger counter reading taken inside his kitchen in a Reddit post that went viral. The attached image shows a reading of 101 counts per minute. This is much higher than the typical background levels of 5 to 60 counts per minute.

Luckily, the Redditor, whose real name is Travis, wasn't too upset when he saw the high reading on his kitchen counter. newsweek This is “to be expected” near granite surfaces, he said.

Travis, a Rochester native, loves science and bought a Geiger counter “just for fun.” He wanted to know more about nearby background radiation and when he saw the book in the kitchen he was certainly intrigued.

“I have a new house and was able to get the granite that was used to make the countertops from a quarry in Minnesota,” Travis said. “I installed a Geiger counter and noticed that it was reading slightly above background levels.

“As we moved the device around, we found at least two areas that were more active. One location that ended up setting off the Geiger counter alarm had a lot of coarse calcification. It appears to have formed within the veins of the larger stone slab. ”

Following the discovery that “countertops sometimes activate Geiger counters,” Travis shared the image on Reddit. The post received millions of views and over 21,000 upvotes within days.

How does a Geiger counter work?

To measure radiation levels, Geiger counters work by using a sealed tube filled with gas that allows radiation to enter. According to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, there is a wire inside the tube that attracts electrons while creating ion pairs, and an electric current flows through the wire.

Counts per minute refers to the number of ion pairs produced every 60 seconds, so the electrical current from the wire produces the radiation readings displayed on the screen. The machine makes a clicking sound each time an ion pair is formed, indicating how much radiation is around.

It is also emphasized that radiation comes naturally from the sun, uranium in the soil, radon, and certain types of rocks such as granite.

social media reaction

After posting his Geiger counter readings on Reddit, Travis was flooded with reactions, with many concerned for his health and safety. However, he insists there is nothing to worry about and has no intention of moving at all.

“I'm not worried. I'm actually interested in the science of it,” he said. “The alarm goes off, but I don't sit or lie directly on the countertop for hours, months, or years in a row. If I did, I'd probably have something to worry about. .

“The risk posed by my countertop is low, and the higher readings are isolated to one location on the countertop. So, yes, I'm leaving it that way.”

Rather than fearing radiation, Travis jokes that he was actually “really excited” about the discovery. He also lent Geiger counters to his friends so they could try them out at home.

“We are surrounded by some level of radiation. Radon is a public health concern in the Midwest, and smoke detectors can also detect radiation, which can save lives.” “It’s sexual,” he said. newsweek.

At the time of writing, the post had more than 590 comments, with many Reddit users intrigued by the unexpected radioactivity in his home. One comment read, “Well, I don't need new countertops anymore.”

Another said, “I work at a shop that makes stone countertops. I've found uranium ore in the form of plates before.”

Another commenter wrote, “Real granite countertops. Natural granite contains natural uranium.”

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