Was the world ever more radioactive?

Was the world ever more radioactive? - Planet Earth

In Godzilla (2014), it is mentioned that "those" creatures flourished when the world was more radioactive. Does it make sense?



Best Answer

Yes - but would be unlikely to have affected Godzilla

According to The Evolution of the Earth's Background Radiation Level over Geologic Time by P Andrew Karam CHP and Stephen A Leslie Ph.D of the Department of Geological Sciences at The Ohio State University, the Earth's current background Gamma radiation is 0.28 mSv/yr (millisievert per year) from radionuclides (Uranium, Thorium, Potassium and Radium) in the Earth's crust.

They go on to state how early in Earth's history the radiation from the earth's crust would be higher:

Using Taylor and McClennan's (4) model for crust formation and assuming that LIL concentration was equal to the percentage of crust formed (i.e. LILs had one half of their current concentrations when the crust was 50% formed) then, at the time that life evolved, surface gamma radiation levels due to contact with the continental crust were similar to those at present, rising to approximately twice current levels at the time eukaryotic life evolved. Therefore, life would have been exposed to up to four times current levels of external gamma radiation due to contact with the continental crust.

Life in the sea at this time would also have been in contact with equally high concentrations of radiation:

In addition, based on current 40K concentration in seawater of 11 Bq/gm, organisms in the water column at that time would have received comparable doses from 40K beta and gamma radiation.

The below graph shows the radiation peaking around 2.5Ga (2.5 Billion Years Ago).

RadiationVsGeologicalAge

This was before the advent of multicellular life, let alone the time that complex creatures like Godzilla and the MUTO's. As we move towards the age of the Dinosaurs ~ 500 million years ago we can see the radiation levels are high, but closer to the levels we have today, around about 5% higher.




Pictures about "Was the world ever more radioactive?"

Was the world ever more radioactive? - Person Holding World Globe Facing Mountain
Was the world ever more radioactive? - This picture shows an american astronaut in his space and extravehicular activity suite working outside of a spacecraft. In the background parts of a space shuttle are visible. In the far background of the picture planet earth with it's blue color and whi
Was the world ever more radioactive? - Top view of crop anonymous person holding toy airplane on colorful world map drawn on chalkboard



When was the Earth most radioactive?

Chernobyl was the nuclear event of the 1980s. On April 26, 1986 one of the world's largest nuclear disasters occurred when Reactor 4 exploded, and it released radiation that was 100-times more powerful than the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs combined.

What is the most radioactive on Earth?

The radioactivity of radium then must be enormous. This substance is the most radioactive natural element, a million times more so than uranium. It is so radioactive that it gives off a pale blue glow.

Was the Earth radioactive in the past?

A surge of oxygen littered early Earth with millions of tiny nuclear reactors, blasting ancient life with radiation.

What is the most radioactive country?

Below are the ten most radioactive places on earth, listed in no particular order.
  • Goias, Brazil.
  • The Somali Coast. ...
  • Mailuu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan. ...
  • Siberian Chemical Combine, Russia. ...
  • Hanford, USA. ...
  • Chernobyl, Ukraine. ...
  • The Polygon, Kazakhstan. ...
  • Fukushima, Japan. ...




The Most Radioactive Man in History - Hisashi Ouchi




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Pixabay, Porapak Apichodilok, Pixabay, Andrea Piacquadio