Podcast: Sydney's Hidden Radiation

Ever wondered how we would detect a nuclear disaster in Sydney?

Most people don’t realise that the ground beneath our feet is full of invisible radiation. In this episode, Andrew and Josh speak with researchers at the University of Sydney to discuss how groundbreaking research has mapped natural gamma radiation across Sydney, to build a clear picture of the background environment. This map provides the basis for understanding future changes in the radiation levels – such as during a nuclear disaster.

Researchers Matilda Lawton and Tengiz Ibrayev explain the basics of radiation, how they undertook their study and what this means for disaster managers.

• Sydney Morning Herald – Scientists mapped Sydney’s radiation. One busy suburb stands out.
• Radioverse Map — Global citizen science radiation map for data upload
• University of Sydney – Radiation Research — Research group involved in the studies
• ANSTO — Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation — Australia’s nuclear facility for research and safety
• The spectrometer device mentioned in this episode is a Radiacode – radiacode.com.

• Matilda Lawton – LinkedIn | Twitter
• Tengiz Ibraev – LinkedIn | Research Profile