energy fights to free itself from radioactive golf ball

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An example of anthropomorphism (and misinformation) reported in popular science writing:

"By 1922 the 'Blue Radio' golf ball 'with radium salts in the centre' was available at John Wanamaker's New York department store. It's adverts explained the benefits of using radium in this unusual way: 'When the ball is hit, the radium salts in the plastic centre start a wave of momentum which gives a great resiliency. The ball literally is alive and the released energy actually fights to free itself'."

Lucy Jane Santos

Santos, L. J. (2020). Half Lives. The unlikely history of radium. Icon Books Ltd.

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Tags: energy, radium
[Please be aware that a word may have different nuances, or even a different meaning, according to context.]« Back to Index

Author: Keith

Former school and college science teacher, teacher educator, research supervisor, and research methods lecturer. Emeritus Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.