Not All Radiation Is the Same

“Radiation” sounds pretty scary, but there’s a lot to be misunderstood. Essentially, any type of electromagnetic wave can be classified as “radiation.” That includes visible light and radio waves. Really, the concern about radiation comes down to whether or not its ionizing or not.

Ionizing radiation is radiation that can cause harm in small doses. Think UV light, x-rays and gamma rays. But, in fact, most of the radiation we come into contact with is non-ionizing. That could be everything from the light from a lightbulb, the radio waves that allow us to tune into our favorite stations in the car, or the radiofrequency radiation emitted by your smartphones.