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Where Can You Find Gamma Rays?

Gamma waves have the smallest wavelengths and the most energy of all the waves in the electromagnetic spectrum. But until 1961, when the first gamma-ray telescope was launched, we couldn't get our detectors above our atmosphere. Created by radioactive atoms and in nuclear explosions, you can now find gamma rays every day in our world and beyond.

  1. Space

    • Gamma rays can be found throughout space, in stars and the sun. Supernovas are the way massive stars die, releasing enormous gamma ray bursts. According to Space.com, when the core of nuclear fuel in a star is completely burned, it collapses in a giant explosion, giving a gamma ray burst. It can be more luminous than the rest of the universe. Any gamma rays from these bursts, which travel towards our planet, get absorbed in Earth's atmosphere and cannot be detected.

    Cancer Treatment

    • Radiation treatment therapy uses X-rays, gamma rays and charged particles for cancer treatment. Gamma rays can kill living cells by damaging their DNA. Radiation therapy damages DNA directly or creates charged particles (free radicals) within the cells, which will then damage the DNA. Because gamma rays can kill living cells, other cells besides the cancerous cells can also be damaged. About 50 percent of all cancer patients receive some type of radiation therapy, according to Cancer.gov.

    Food Irradiation

    • Direct exposure to gamma rays can damage genetic material, which is why the FDA places strict limits on the intensity of gamma radiation used in food sterilization, according to Physlink.com. They simply kill harmful bacteria and other organism, giving the food a longer shelf life. The process is similar to radiology, which has caused some controversy. Food irradiation can eliminate the signals (such as bad smells) that warn people they are eating rotten food, according to Time.com.

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