cover of episode Glowing Peril: The Magical Glitter That Poisoned a City

Glowing Peril: The Magical Glitter That Poisoned a City

2023/11/24
logo of podcast Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

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Tim Harford: 本期节目讲述了1987年巴西戈亚尼亚发生的严重放射性事故,以及20世纪20年代和30年代美国发生的镭女孩事件。这两个事件都突显了信息沟通和真相的重要性,以及忽视安全和职业健康可能造成的严重后果。戈亚尼亚事故中,由于废弃的放射治疗设备被拾荒者发现并拆解,导致含有铯-137的物质泄漏,造成多人中毒,甚至死亡。事故的发生暴露了放射性物质管理不善、公众沟通不力以及人们对辐射危险的认识不足等问题。而镭女孩事件中,女性工人因长期接触镭涂料而患病,雇主却隐瞒真相,导致悲剧发生。这两个事件都说明,在面对潜在危险时,及时有效的沟通和对真相的追求至关重要。 受访者: (根据访谈内容,补充受访者的观点,例如对事故的亲身经历、感受以及对安全问题的看法等,不少于200字)

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In Goiânia, Brazil, a junk dealer and his friends discover a glowing substance in an abandoned medical device, leading to health complications and a city-wide contamination.

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In Goiânia, Brazil, a junk dealer acquires an old medical device from two scrap-metal scavengers. The device itself isn't useful, but it comes with precious lead which will fetch him good money. There's something else inside the device, too: a curious, crystal-like substance that glows bright blue in the dark.

At first, the dealer is mesmerized by it: he wants to turn it into jewelry for his wife. But, everyone who comes into contact with the magical glitter seems to get sick. His own family succumbs to nausea and vomiting. A doctor suggests food poisoning - but this isn't like any food poisoning they've ever known before. And soon, the whole city is contaminated.

No-one saw this horrifying radiation accident coming. Should they have?

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