Discusses radiation and its impact on society, and provides factual, scientifically based information on the interrelationship of society and radiation. Reviews the health effects of radiation through examinations of irradiated food, iodine-131 therapy, radon studies, and other related topics. Looks at the effects of exposure to large doses of radiation, including the cancer risks among atomic bomb survivors, the genetic effects of human exposure to ionizing radiation, and a health assessment of the Chernobyl accident. Includes an overview chapter by Rosalyn S. Yalow, recipient of the 1977 Nobel Prize in medicine for her work in developing radioimmunoassay techniques.