And Get Off The Counter Kitty

In keeping with my previous post of humor, felines, and natural radioactivity, granite countertops are another household source of trivial amounts of radioactivity (in addition to kitty litter).

The Marble Institute of America has found it necessary to discuss countertop radioactivity on their website.


Why?  Because of old media bits like this, which they probably don't find humorous:

That countertop shard has elevated radioactivity, but that's cherry-picking.  The vast majority of granite surfaces have levels far below that.  Putting a bowl over the radon collection kit allows one to measure the radon exhalation rate from the surface, but that excludes the effects of room ventilation.  The radon concentration would not be representative of the room concentration.