Is all radiation harmful?

CrowdScience listener Grandwin in Uganda has heard that radiation is all around us, being emitted by anything from the sun to everyday devices like light bulbs and laptops. He’s wondering whether constant exposure to radiation is harmful.

He knows that too much sun gives you cancer, and that infrared light can cause ageing, but what about other forms of radiation? Could Carbon 14, which we use for radio carbon dating, be bad for us? And should we be scared of brazil nuts and bananas?

Presenter Marnie Chesterton fires up her Geiger counter and gets on the case, investigating what radiation actually is and whether Grandwin should be concerned about it.