The unpopular or otherwise, question thread.

[ledboots]

Would living underground protect you from radiation?

I grew up in a house with a bomb shelter in the basement (built 1953). The theory was that radiation couldn't go around corners, so the shelter had an entrance where you had to turn a corner. My granddad was afraid of the soviets, so when my dad was building the house, granddad paid for the bomb shelter.

When I was a teenager, we changed it into an awesome party room.

 

[Danielle]

I grew up in a house with a bomb shelter in the basement (built 1953). The theory was that radiation couldn't go around corners, so the shelter had an entrance where you had to turn a corner. My granddad was afraid of the soviets, so when my dad was building the house, granddad paid for the bomb shelter.

When I was a teenager, we changed it into an awesome party room.

Sounds like fun
I don't think a corner would stop radiation, though....

Why do multivitamins give you more % of vitamins than your body actually needs?

 

[ledboots]

Sounds like fun
I don't think a corner would stop radiation, though....

Why do multivitamins give you more % of vitamins than your body actually needs?

Because people cannot absorb all the vitamins. Example is B12, most people absorb only a fraction orally.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I don't think a corner would stop radiation, though....

it might stop gamma radiation, that is the electromagnetic radiation, as that is like light an travels in straightish lines.
It wouldn't stop radioactive material though, coming into the shelter.

 

[das_nut]

it might stop gamma radiation, that is the electromagnetic radiation, as that is like light an travels in straightish lines.
It wouldn't stop radioactive material though, coming into the shelter.

Aye. Alpha and beta radiation should also be stopped, but that's not a problem, due to the nature of the alpha and gamma radiation.

Off the top of my head, I think most of the problem with a nuclear scenario would be the dust in the air immediately thereafter. So if there's a door on either end (leaving dead air between the two doors - assuming no drafts), it should work. The dusty air would be contained outside, gamma radiation would penetrate the first door but the corner would stop it...

It wouldn't work perfectly, but a fallout shelter isn't designed to eliminate all radiation, but just give you a place to camp out while the really nasty stuff degrades. Then you're all set for a post-apocalyptic world where you can try to rebuild America and hope the cannibal hordes won't find you first.

 

[Danielle]

I learned things today, yay

 

[SummerRain]

it might stop gamma radiation, that is the electromagnetic radiation, as that is like light an travels in straightish lines.
It wouldn't stop radioactive material though, coming into the shelter.

Gamma rays are incredibly penetrating, a thick sheet of lead or concrete will only stop some of it, I don't think a corner will make much difference. I think radiation sickness is caused by ionising radiation though, because gamma rays will go straight through you, in the long term they will increase chances of interaction/mutation/cancer/etc though. Some ionising radiation (such as alpha particles) is stopped by air, but beta/neutrons are more penetrating.

I think though, on the whole, the shelter wont really help, unless perhaps it was well designed, deep underground, and you could live there from a long period of time (i.e. a kinda government-level job).

 

[thefadedone]

Why the hell is this Duck Dynasty crap popular?

 

[AspireToExpire]

No!

*feels it anyway with a dried linguine noodle from across room and a dumb face*

 

[AspireToExpire]

Is an orange called an orange because its orange or is orange named after orange? Why isn't banana called a yellow or why can't we paint our rooms banana?

 

[kazyeeqen]

Is an orange called an orange because its orange or is orange named after orange? Why isn't banana called a yellow or why can't we paint our rooms banana?

I dunno, but oranges don't have to be orange, so I'd guess the color was orange and then westerners named the fruit after the color. I wonder what they call oranges in the countries where it doesn't get cold enough to have orange oranges...

 

[ledboots]

Aye. Alpha and beta radiation should also be stopped, but that's not a problem, due to the nature of the alpha and gamma radiation.

Off the top of my head, I think most of the problem with a nuclear scenario would be the dust in the air immediately thereafter. So if there's a door on either end (leaving dead air between the two doors - assuming no drafts), it should work. The dusty air would be contained outside, gamma radiation would penetrate the first door but the corner would stop it...

It wouldn't work perfectly, but a fallout shelter isn't designed to eliminate all radiation, but just give you a place to camp out while the really nasty stuff degrades. Then you're all set for a post-apocalyptic world where you can try to rebuild America and hope the cannibal hordes won't find you first.

Yes, this was the idea. The shelter was made of concrete in the basement and had a thick metal door that could be closed. When I was a kid, it also had some supplies, futons and blankets. My grandfather was no slacker in his paranoia.

 

[Snowcone]

*feels it anyway with a dried linguine noodle from across room and a dumb face*

Why are you so cruel!?

 

[Danielle]

Do neutered ferrets have sex?
...Would they even want to?

 

[kazyeeqen]

Am I getting sick, or is it just allergies?

 

[Danielle]

Am I getting sick, or is it just allergies?

I wonder the same thing
Wish my nose would clear up

 

[SummerRain]

Is an orange called an orange because its orange or is orange named after orange?

Oh! This was on QI! The colour orange is named after the fruit orange. When the fruit was named, there wasn't a word for the colour orange, which is why things like robin red-breasts and red-kites (that are actually orange) are called "red" - there wasn't a word for orange.

 

[Danielle]

Is the rabies shot really necessary if you live in the city and never see any rabid animals? If yes, why?

 

[KLS52]

Are you talking about for people or animals? People don't get the shot unless they have been exposed and are unable to capture the animal so it can be tested.

I know people who had to have their cat/dog put down because they weren't up to date on their rabies vaccine and they bit someone. Not a chance I would want to take with my fur babies.

 

[thefadedone]

Is the rabies shot really necessary if you live in the city and never see any rabid animals? If yes, why?

If it's for an animal then yes.