From: Damien Broderick (d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Sat Aug 24 2002 - 21:38:16 MDT
At 02:29 PM 8/24/02 -0700, Robert wrote:
>
>On Sat, 24 Aug 2002, Joao Magalhaes wrote:
>
>> The best explanation I know is hormesis. Hormesis is
>> the name given to the stimulatory effects caused by low levels of
>> potentially toxic agents.
>I'm afraid I have to agree with Joao
>Hormesis has a very reasonable basis in gene and protein expression.
>One has a set of defenses against radiation, heat shock, toxins, etc.
>The expression of these defense genes is activated by a set of "triggers".
>The defenses provide better maintenance of your DNA and proteins
>and thus extend longevity. We need a much better understanding
>of the minimal trigger effects and the length of time the defenses
>remain active. In that environment we could produce minimally
>damaging triggers and reap the benefits of the activated defenses.
It strikes me that it would be hilarious if ambient low level EM radiation*
from house wiring, sitting in front of TVs and computers, etc, really
*does* damage us a bit (although most people here would denounce this
possibility as a vile Green meme), and in doing so trigger some of these
innate hormesis defences--thus explaining some portion of the increased
health and longevity experienced by industrialized people during the last
century...
Damien Broderick
*yes, I do realize that the thread discussion is about ionizing radiation,
quite a different kettle of flash
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