When atomic fuel elements are split

When atomic fuel elements are split apart in reactor the resulting fragments are not normal elements such as are usually found in nature in setting down into a final form the fragments give of the various fragment elements are known as radioisotopes.This secondary radiation may continue for a few seconds or for many years. Some of the atoms from a bomb explosion in the atmosphere, where they are taken up by plants and eaten by people, whose hereditary qualities can be permanently damaged by the ceaseless inner radiation. This is the fallout danger. Other plant and used, with suitable precautions, in agricalture, medicine, industry, and various kinds of research.
The atomic engergy agency is promoting research in the use of radioisotopes. One useful techniqus is to irradiate male insects;this dose not kill them but renders them sterile. Large numbers of sterile males are then released to compete with the normal males and thus deceive the females and birthrate. Studies of this system of insect control have been sponsored by LAEA in Belgium, El Salvador, Italy, and Tunisia. By 1960 there were twenty two contracts for various studies on the use of isotopes in agriculture, of which fourteen were in devoloping countries.
Radioisotopes are used in industry to provide radiation for hundreds of purposes,such as the sterilization of food products, and the stimulation of chemical reactions that will not otherwise occur. An IAEA survey in 1960 showed that there were already some 900 industrial applications in forty kinds of industry.
Radiation has long been employed in the treatment of cancer, and rays from radioisotopes are being widely used in medical diagnosis particularly of tropical diseases.