Martin Falk
The issue of the biological effects of ionizing radiation (IR) is returning to the forefront of scientific research for several reasons. One is the further development of cancer radiotherapy and radiation protection, now also in the context of planned pilot trips to Mars. A very strong negative motivation is probably the historically highest risk of misuse of radioactive materials by terrorists and nuclear weapons by terrorist states. Conventional attacks on nuclear facilities, accompanied by the dispersion of highly radioactive substances, cannot be ruled out either. Understanding the health risks of exposure and the possibilities of protection against IR depends on how different types of IR interact with living organisms. The different effects of photon and particle types of radiation, which can be encountered not only on planet Earth but especially in space, allow for an explanation of the differences between stochastic effects of IR, which can be caused by even low doses of radiation, and deterministic effects, which appear only in the case of exposure to higher doses.