IP: Concerns Mount Over Exposure To Radiation on Airline Flights

[David Farber <dfarber@earthlink.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: "Kedrosky, Paul" <paul.kedrosky@commerce.ubc.ca>
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 07:34:52 
To: "'farber@cis.upenn.edu'" <farber@cis.upenn.edu>
Subject: Concerns Mount Over Exposure To Radiation on Airline Flights

Dave --

While I am a frequent flyer and have long wondered about the corresponding
altitude-related radiation exposure, this is the first article I have seen
that compares radiation exposure across various routes. 

Concerns Mount Over Exposure To Radiation on Airline Flights
by Jesse Drucker (WSJ March 29, 2002)

Excerpt: 
Though not widely known, in-flight radiation is becoming a growing concern
among researchers, crew members and the fliers who have to log thousands of
miles a month. On any flight, radiation from stars penetrates the airplane,
and experts say repeated exposure may be a health risk, similar to getting
too many X-rays. The issue has not only led to changes at some foreign
airlines, but prompted the FAA to set up a new radiation Web site
(http://www.cami.jccbi.gov/aam-600/610/600Radio.html). And next year, the
U.S. government plans to release findings on the long-term effects on crew
members, covering everything from miscarriages to cancer.

Full article:
http://online.wsj.com/article_print/0,4287,SB1017358222771363680,00.html


Paul Kedrosky
Faculty of Commerce
University of British Columbia
paul.kedrosky@ubc.ca    604.822.8894

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