this post was submitted on 11 Jul 2025
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[–] potoo22@programming.dev 30 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Achtually, most Uranium is uranium-238, which is mostly stable. People use it in glass and decorations and it causes them to glow in blacklight. It's safe as long as you aren't in daily constant contact with it or eat it.

Uranium-235 is less stable, but makes up less than 1% of Uranium on Earth. The quantity in natural uranium isn't much riskier unless you're exposed to enriched uranium which has more Uranium-235.

The byproducts of a chain reaction of U-235 fission are what cause most of the dangerous radiation. Which is to say, the leftovers of a nuclear explosion are very radioactive and dangerous, but natural uranium before exploding is mostly safe and it won't explode unless you enrich it and set up the correct conditions.

[–] Badabinski@kbin.earth 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Tbf, uranium is intensely toxic even if it's not very radioactive. Shit's like turbo lead, it's a crazy heavy metal.

[–] FooBarrington@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

"Turbo lead", I love it! That means we can use it to make turbo sweeteners, right?

[–] chelatna@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 week ago

I think beryllium is scary. Inhaling the dust gives you berylliosis 😮.

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

the leftovers of a nuclear explosion are very radioactive and dangerous

[Citation needed]

[–] potoo22@programming.dev 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Chernobyl

I was being facetious lol

[–] TimewornTraveler@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I hate how he did that comic because the sign faces the wrong way. the audience is the one who needs to read it!

[–] howrar@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

maybe it is, we'll never know!

[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 week ago

Yeah, they even show a periodic table. On that row, Uranium is just about the safest "rock".

It's even mostly lickable.

[–] leftzero@lemmynsfw.com 2 points 1 week ago

It's safe as long as you aren't in daily constant contact with it or eat it.

Let me hit you in the head with a 5kg chunk of U-238 and then tell me it's safe.