Did You Know Old Glass Is Radioactive?
Your home might contain unique uranium-infused radioactive antiques, but are they dangerous?
Few people are aware of the many radioactive antiques lurking within their homes. Some of these objects include military compasses, watches, photographic camera lenses, ceramic tiles, tables, lamps, and plates, or as pictured above, the primary object of interest in this article is vintage glassware.
Before we delve into glassware, It’s worth mentioning some radioactive antiques share a similar property and are the primary draw for collectors because of the brilliant glow they give off. Not all radioactive antiques glow, but some do (or did). Antique compasses and watches, for example, were painted with radioluminescent paint to be viewed in dark settings. Many dials in watches and compasses from the 1920s were painted by the infamous ‘Radium Girls’, who suffered significant and deadly health effects from continued direct skin exposure and ingestion of the dangerous paint containing Radium-226. Radium continued to be used until 1970.
Most of the remaining radium-laced objects have lost their glow because of radioactive decay ‘burning out’ the luminescent properties of the paint. Though, some examples may still fluoresce under blacklight. Whether or not they retain their glow…
