Did You Know Bananas Are Radioactive?

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9 May 2024

Bananas are considered the most popular fruit in the world


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They are consumed in huge quantities all over the globe


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There are many reasons for this popularity. Bananas are tasty, portable, affordable, and nutritious 


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They are a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, and vitamin C


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But there is one more little strange fact about bananas: they are radioactive


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According to BBC Science Focus, bananas contain potassium-40, a radioactive isotope, making them slightly radioactive


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A lorry full of bananas can trigger radiation detectors due to this radioactivity, but eating bananas won't make you radioactive as humans already contain potassium-40


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In fact, the average adult is 280 times more radioactive than a banana due to their potassium content


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Eating a banana temporarily increases your potassium-40 levels, but your body quickly regulates and excretes the excess


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This effect is detectable with a sensitive Geiger counter


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