air travel and radiation exposure
Air Travel and Radiation Exposure Did you know that when you fly from New York to Los Angeles you are exposed to as much radiation as you would if you received a chest x-ray? Radiation exposure related to air travel is greatly underestimated. Flying at high altitudes offers less protection from cosmic radiation, even in an air cabin. This happens because the thinner atmosphere allows for more exposure to sunrays. Radiation exposure also affects the aircrew and can even cause some detrimental effects on pregnant women. Altogether, the public must be aware of the radiation they are being exposed to. The average person receives 360 millirems of radiation each year, 300 from natural radiation, and 60 from manmade. A millerem, also called mrem, is a unit of radiation exposure.