Radioactive Lore

One quick Google search titled, “crazy lore about radiation” brought me to the site “Top 10 Strange Radioactive Facts And Stories”. There, I discovered that there were other groups that were impacted by radiation, similar to what we read in “A Measure of Restraint” and “The Clan of the One-breasted Women”.

First, there is an indigenous population in Norway called the Sami. Their community relies on reindeer for food and clothing, who rely on lichen (a fungus) for food. After Chernobyl, cesium-137 contaminated all their water and wildlife. The lichen were affected, and in turn, the reindeer became radioactive. The ultimate effect was the Sami lost their reindeer and their home to radiation.

In another instance, the Quaker Oat company caught a court case in the 20th century. In 1949, they wanted to push out the competition, the cereal brand Cream of Wheat. Quaker Oats conducted a study where they supplied oats for students at a school in Massachusetts called the Fernald State School. In those oats, there were traces of radiative iron and calcium. The results made it seem that Quaker Oats had the same health benefits as the other cereal company. In the end, 74 students were affected, and it wasn’t until 1993 that the truth came out. 

I think it’s incredibly important that we keep these stories alive. Remaining aware of the dangers of radiation and other unknown chemicals is a matter of human life and death. Science should proceed with caution and remember the lives lost in the past.