RADON:
A DANGEROUS BEAUTY
Abdullah Alutaibi
A BEAUTIFUL ELEMENT
Marie Curie and other scientists discovered that radon glows, and it
was quickly used for new forms of lighting such as illuminated paint.
One artist planned to light up an entire stage and dancers with the
glowing radon paint. Although the element was first put to utilitarian
uses and medical applications, there was a very real beauty in its
effect that people could not help but admire. The image above
illustrates the complex, almost dream-like beauty natural to radon.
A LETHAL WEAPON
Radon was also used in nuclear weapons, most famously the bomb
that destroyed Hiroshima. This art spread grimly illustrates the effect
that the nuclear bomb had on people who survived the first blast.
The power and potency of radon ravages the human body, making
the remainder of life a living Hell. The bomb on Hiroshima was the
only nuclear weapon used in war in history – but the fear of its use in
warfare again hangs over much of the world. This bare image, in
contrast to the complex beauty of radon, shows the harsh reality of its
destructive capabilities.
A MEDICAL REVOLUTION
Before the discovery of radon and the x-ray, doctors had to treat patients
with surgery for relatively simple conditions. The pain of fractures and other
disorders were tripled by the invasive procedures. Once radon was
developed into a useful x-ray, medical practices not only became more
efficient, but they became more effective and patient suffering was
decreased significantly. Like the first image, and yet with the realism of the
conceptualized image of the Hiroshima attacks, this radiograph shows a
pristine yet ethereally beautiful depiction of the human body and the
healing that was enabled by the correct application of radon in an x-ray
diagnosis.
RADIATION SICKNESS
Everyone who uses radon – even doctors using x-rays – will remind you to
use protective equipment and limit your exposure to it. That’s because
radon causes serious and often fatal illnesses if your body absorbs too
much of it. Marie Curie died painfully, over a number of years, from what
is known as radiation poisoning. Radiation poisoning causes weakness,
dizziness, fatigue, and blood problems. Despite its effectiveness on certain
diseases like cancer and its beautiful illumination, radon is ultimately a
deadly element. The stark photograph above shows the real-time horrors
that victims of radiation warfare suffered, a yet more stark and terribly
real image of radon’s destructive power.