Radioactive glassware of the early 20th century
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Date: 2025-01-11
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Comments and reviews: 20
akeem2983
As far as I know, while uranium glass is thought to be completely safe when it's not chipped, sanded or shattered, it was nasty for workers on factories that produced it, so I don't think it's possible for it to make a big return. But I've also heard about some esoteric Chinese items that used glowing glass with thorium in it and apparently they're still in production. They're not sold as general-purpose kitchenware though, instead they're marketed as devices for alternative medicine based on a pseudoscientific belief that small doses of radiation can stimulate the organism or, I don't know, eliminate evil spirits from the drinking water or something. The safety of theese things is questionable, especially for stuff like pendants and stickers for phones - while alpha radiation and some incidental gamma from thorium decay products won't do much if the item that emits them is rarely placed near the human body, I guess that constantly wearing something like this in close proximity to skin may make it possible for the radioactive particles to affect the skin cells leading to various problems.
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As far as I know, while uranium glass is thought to be completely safe when it's not chipped, sanded or shattered, it was nasty for workers on factories that produced it, so I don't think it's possible for it to make a big return. But I've also heard about some esoteric Chinese items that used glowing glass with thorium in it and apparently they're still in production. They're not sold as general-purpose kitchenware though, instead they're marketed as devices for alternative medicine based on a pseudoscientific belief that small doses of radiation can stimulate the organism or, I don't know, eliminate evil spirits from the drinking water or something. The safety of theese things is questionable, especially for stuff like pendants and stickers for phones - while alpha radiation and some incidental gamma from thorium decay products won't do much if the item that emits them is rarely placed near the human body, I guess that constantly wearing something like this in close proximity to skin may make it possible for the radioactive particles to affect the skin cells leading to various problems.
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accrevoke
Alpha and beta particles are easily blocked, even with thin aluminium and paper, and you really do not want that anywhere close to your digestive system. Once it is in, it basically doesn't leave until it decays, doing a lot of ionizing in you.
Gamma on the other hand, (in normal dosage) is relatively safe, which is probably what you see in the cold air / CO2 cloud.
Given you really didn't see much activity from the experiment, it's likely very safe.
Glass and concrete is also used to encase radioactive materials and transported to their final storage for disposal, so unless you are eating literally glass chips from the plate, and even that, the glass probably do more harm from the radiation.
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Alpha and beta particles are easily blocked, even with thin aluminium and paper, and you really do not want that anywhere close to your digestive system. Once it is in, it basically doesn't leave until it decays, doing a lot of ionizing in you.
Gamma on the other hand, (in normal dosage) is relatively safe, which is probably what you see in the cold air / CO2 cloud.
Given you really didn't see much activity from the experiment, it's likely very safe.
Glass and concrete is also used to encase radioactive materials and transported to their final storage for disposal, so unless you are eating literally glass chips from the plate, and even that, the glass probably do more harm from the radiation.
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NigraeLegiones
Ngl just recently restarted collecting uranium glass again and finally got a cabinet set up with lights. It was neat that you decided to do this video. Certain spectrum of UV will also make other heavy metals used in dishes glow. I havent personally seen examples of it but ive seen it mentioned multiple times. The brighter it glows the hotter it is. Also fair warning to those who go out looking for this stuff. At some point they replicated the colour perfectly without using uranium. Take a uv light with you. There is a pitcher and 4 glass set at a local antique store. Out of 5 pieces only 2 have uranium. However under normal light you couldnt tell any of it apart.
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Ngl just recently restarted collecting uranium glass again and finally got a cabinet set up with lights. It was neat that you decided to do this video. Certain spectrum of UV will also make other heavy metals used in dishes glow. I havent personally seen examples of it but ive seen it mentioned multiple times. The brighter it glows the hotter it is. Also fair warning to those who go out looking for this stuff. At some point they replicated the colour perfectly without using uranium. Take a uv light with you. There is a pitcher and 4 glass set at a local antique store. Out of 5 pieces only 2 have uranium. However under normal light you couldnt tell any of it apart.
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jack504
This reminds me of the issue with crystal glass, which is made with lead. The lead can leech out into the food or drink, it's not a lot if used briefly to eat or drink from but quite bad if used to store stuff.
'Alpha radiation is the safest', this is true outside the body but it is the most damaging inside the body. It can't penetrate the top layer of dead skin but it really shreds living tissue in direct contact.
I think radiation glass has had its day, people are afraid of radiation since the of WW2, topped up by TMI, Chernobyl and Fukushima.
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This reminds me of the issue with crystal glass, which is made with lead. The lead can leech out into the food or drink, it's not a lot if used briefly to eat or drink from but quite bad if used to store stuff.
'Alpha radiation is the safest', this is true outside the body but it is the most damaging inside the body. It can't penetrate the top layer of dead skin but it really shreds living tissue in direct contact.
I think radiation glass has had its day, people are afraid of radiation since the of WW2, topped up by TMI, Chernobyl and Fukushima.
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nimbulan2020
It's also good to note that radiation isn't the only concern. Uranium is classified as a heavy metal, and along with others like lead can be quite toxic in the body. Heavy metals tend to accumulate and cause increasing problems with continued ingestion since your body doesn't really have any way of getting rid of them. Still not a concern with uranium glass, but definitely so with the old Fiestaware uranium glazed ceramic, where acidic foods particularly would leach a LOT of uranium out.
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It's also good to note that radiation isn't the only concern. Uranium is classified as a heavy metal, and along with others like lead can be quite toxic in the body. Heavy metals tend to accumulate and cause increasing problems with continued ingestion since your body doesn't really have any way of getting rid of them. Still not a concern with uranium glass, but definitely so with the old Fiestaware uranium glazed ceramic, where acidic foods particularly would leach a LOT of uranium out.
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PeteOtton
A couple of things to consider:
1. boron silicate glass doped with uranium is going to emit less neutrons than soda lime glass.
2. you touched on the leaching from the surface using water or acetic or other food acids. This will strip soluble elements from the surface eventually leaching all available soluble elements from that surface and unless you scratch or crack the surface to expose fresh unleached material, due to the nature of glass you won't leach any more.
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A couple of things to consider:
1. boron silicate glass doped with uranium is going to emit less neutrons than soda lime glass.
2. you touched on the leaching from the surface using water or acetic or other food acids. This will strip soluble elements from the surface eventually leaching all available soluble elements from that surface and unless you scratch or crack the surface to expose fresh unleached material, due to the nature of glass you won't leach any more.
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TomSherwood-z5l
You can find this glass used, but you need a UV LED flashlight. Hobby Lobby sells a really nice one with low visible light emission for real cheap. Some of the ebay UV small lights are junk with flaky switches and white light along with the purple. Some green glass is not Uranium so you really want the light when looking. Try antique shops, charity shops, etc. that has old glassware out. Or grammas cupboards if she is old enough to have pre 50s glassware.
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You can find this glass used, but you need a UV LED flashlight. Hobby Lobby sells a really nice one with low visible light emission for real cheap. Some of the ebay UV small lights are junk with flaky switches and white light along with the purple. Some green glass is not Uranium so you really want the light when looking. Try antique shops, charity shops, etc. that has old glassware out. Or grammas cupboards if she is old enough to have pre 50s glassware.
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luminousmoon86
My mom has a whole set of green depression glass that she inherited from her grandmother. It's all a bit fancier than this, with like fluted decorations on every piece. My mom's always been afraid to use it with food because of the Uranium, so it just lives displayed in a china cabinet. Sometimes she'll use them as candy dishes (with wrapped candies) for holidays and stuff. I'll let her know the risk is low, but I doubt she'll change her mind, lol.
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My mom has a whole set of green depression glass that she inherited from her grandmother. It's all a bit fancier than this, with like fluted decorations on every piece. My mom's always been afraid to use it with food because of the Uranium, so it just lives displayed in a china cabinet. Sometimes she'll use them as candy dishes (with wrapped candies) for holidays and stuff. I'll let her know the risk is low, but I doubt she'll change her mind, lol.
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KevinSmithGeo
I think you confused Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, (CMBR, Background Radiation, and Cosmic Rays. Cosmic Rays are a part of Background Radiation and they can trigger a cloud chamber, but Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation is neither cosmic rays nor background radiation in the sense relevant here and can not trigger a cloud chamber. If microwaves could affect a cloud chamber it would instantly go entirely cloudy and be useless.
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I think you confused Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, (CMBR, Background Radiation, and Cosmic Rays. Cosmic Rays are a part of Background Radiation and they can trigger a cloud chamber, but Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation is neither cosmic rays nor background radiation in the sense relevant here and can not trigger a cloud chamber. If microwaves could affect a cloud chamber it would instantly go entirely cloudy and be useless.
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robertfaucher3750
Funny you should mention eastern river valleys and glass making. In the small mill village of Suncook, NH, we have a street called Glass Street along the Suncook River. This is because when the glass factories made glass and messed up (or just had too much) and then when they finally closed down, they famously dumped tons of glass in the river there. I remember going behind the dam and unearthing fully intact bottles from the time.
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Funny you should mention eastern river valleys and glass making. In the small mill village of Suncook, NH, we have a street called Glass Street along the Suncook River. This is because when the glass factories made glass and messed up (or just had too much) and then when they finally closed down, they famously dumped tons of glass in the river there. I remember going behind the dam and unearthing fully intact bottles from the time.
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TomSherwood-z5l
I have a Civil Defense Geiger counter is all, but with the metal window open on the probe I can sometimes detect a slight rise in count from Uranium glass items, more so with it near the thickest parts, but some areas do not seem to have detectable difference. Still pretty low level stuff as compared to the just cosmic ray clicks. WIth the metal window shut I get nothing which must indicate no Gamma.
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I have a Civil Defense Geiger counter is all, but with the metal window open on the probe I can sometimes detect a slight rise in count from Uranium glass items, more so with it near the thickest parts, but some areas do not seem to have detectable difference. Still pretty low level stuff as compared to the just cosmic ray clicks. WIth the metal window shut I get nothing which must indicate no Gamma.
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vitcermak7737
Tiny correction - in the cloud chamber, the trace is left behind the particle because the rest of the environment gives the alcohol mist no surface to condense on, the bottom is too cold. When the particle appears, the mist condenses on it because it is the only surface to condense on, resulting in a droplet, which is left behind. And the line of these droplets is the trace line.
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Tiny correction - in the cloud chamber, the trace is left behind the particle because the rest of the environment gives the alcohol mist no surface to condense on, the bottom is too cold. When the particle appears, the mist condenses on it because it is the only surface to condense on, resulting in a droplet, which is left behind. And the line of these droplets is the trace line.
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reptile2001
I’m huge fan of Greatest Gen, and have been listening to them essentially from the beginning. I learned about you from them, and have really enjoyed a lot of your content. This Lumen thing is justweird. For someone who prides themselves on research and trying to get the most accurate information out there, doesn’t Lumen strike you as at lest the little bit odd
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I’m huge fan of Greatest Gen, and have been listening to them essentially from the beginning. I learned about you from them, and have really enjoyed a lot of your content. This Lumen thing is justweird. For someone who prides themselves on research and trying to get the most accurate information out there, doesn’t Lumen strike you as at lest the little bit odd
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ChadWSmith
My cheap hand soap here in China glows next to the mosquito zapper light I have in my bathroom. I wonder what that's about. But anyway, cool to hear about uranium glass. I'm surprised there wasn't some kind of round-up of it when they were mass-producing bombs. Do your part for Uncle Sam, cash in your uranium glassware for clean, safe, pure glassware today!
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My cheap hand soap here in China glows next to the mosquito zapper light I have in my bathroom. I wonder what that's about. But anyway, cool to hear about uranium glass. I'm surprised there wasn't some kind of round-up of it when they were mass-producing bombs. Do your part for Uncle Sam, cash in your uranium glassware for clean, safe, pure glassware today!
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donaldissitt1082
One important note about K-40 vs U-238 is that uranium will accumulate in your body, while potassium will not. Your body always regulates its levels of potassium, and whatever potassium you consume will be urinated out and replaced by the next potassium that you eat. Uranium will get included into the minerals in your bones and stay in your body forever.
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One important note about K-40 vs U-238 is that uranium will accumulate in your body, while potassium will not. Your body always regulates its levels of potassium, and whatever potassium you consume will be urinated out and replaced by the next potassium that you eat. Uranium will get included into the minerals in your bones and stay in your body forever.
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martinbruhn5274
Actually, alpha radiation is the easiest to shield against, but the most damaging, when it does cause damage a piece of paper is anough to shield against it. But when you are eating food, that contains radioactive components, there is zero shielding, it's inside your body. So, I am not exactly relieved by that and I hope you don't eat anything from it.
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Actually, alpha radiation is the easiest to shield against, but the most damaging, when it does cause damage a piece of paper is anough to shield against it. But when you are eating food, that contains radioactive components, there is zero shielding, it's inside your body. So, I am not exactly relieved by that and I hope you don't eat anything from it.
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bananian
I feel like lumen is a scam. It's like figuring out what was burned in a fire by measuring the smoke. It's all just CO2 and water.
And how would you know if it's accurate or making things up completely It's not like you can verify it any other way. And why would your body burn carbs one day and fat the next Wouldn't it be pretty consistent
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I feel like lumen is a scam. It's like figuring out what was burned in a fire by measuring the smoke. It's all just CO2 and water.
And how would you know if it's accurate or making things up completely It's not like you can verify it any other way. And why would your body burn carbs one day and fat the next Wouldn't it be pretty consistent
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DanielShepard-t5f
The biggest danger is how addictive collecting radioactive glass is. Let's say you pick up uranium plate at the thrift shop for $3. Next thing you know, you're bidding on a $700 houze lamp you can't afford becaues someone else bought the $400 you thought was too expensive and now you live with a mixture of guilt and disappointment.
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The biggest danger is how addictive collecting radioactive glass is. Let's say you pick up uranium plate at the thrift shop for $3. Next thing you know, you're bidding on a $700 houze lamp you can't afford becaues someone else bought the $400 you thought was too expensive and now you live with a mixture of guilt and disappointment.
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morgan0
9: 50 i think it was applied science that did a similar test with lead glassware, which also eventually lost nearly all surface-diffusable lead, basically all that was left was enough inside to not be able to diffuse out. so just give your uranium glassware a good soak and wash before using it and it'll probably be fine.
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9: 50 i think it was applied science that did a similar test with lead glassware, which also eventually lost nearly all surface-diffusable lead, basically all that was left was enough inside to not be able to diffuse out. so just give your uranium glassware a good soak and wash before using it and it'll probably be fine.
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aragusea
gotta point out that though the risk of radiation poisoning from uranium glass is basically zero, uranium is still a heavy metal and highly toxic regardless of its radiation potential. it also can bioaccumulate over repeated exposures. its fine to have a display of uranium glass but don’t eat off it
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gotta point out that though the risk of radiation poisoning from uranium glass is basically zero, uranium is still a heavy metal and highly toxic regardless of its radiation potential. it also can bioaccumulate over repeated exposures. its fine to have a display of uranium glass but don’t eat off it
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