[Sophia M.]

The Fruit That Radiates (A Bit)​

There’s a little secret hiding in one of our favorite snacks.

Could a banana be slightly radioactive? Image source: The GrayVine

Yes — bananas are naturally radioactive. But before you worry, know this: it’s nothing you can feel or see.

Bananas contain potassium, and a tiny fraction of that potassium is the radioactive isotope potassium‑40.

Eating one banana gives you about 0.1 microsieverts of radiation — an amount so small it doesn’t pose any health risk.

To match everyday natural radiation, you’d have to eat hundreds of bananas in one go.

It’s a gentle reminder that radioactivity isn’t always dangerous — some forms are a natural part of the world around us, woven even into our food.

Learn more about bananas and natural radioactivity

Have you encountered a surprising fact like this — something familiar, but quietly extraordinary? Post it in the forum — it might spark someone else’s wonder.