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Before 1963, the United
States and other countries conducted more than 500 nuclear
weapons tests in the atmosphere. During these tests, radioactive
particles and gases were spread in the atmosphere. Depending on
the size and type of weapon that was exploded, some of these
particles and gases traveled great distances before falling to
earth (called fallout) where people could be exposed to the
radiation.
Radioactive fallout was deposited
all over the world, so many people were exposed to it. Even
today, radioactive fallout is present in all parts of the world
in small amounts. CDC and NCI, in their study of global fallout,
looked only at fallout in the contiguous United States (the 48
states between Canada and Mexico). The study found that any
person living in the contiguous United States since 1951 has
been exposed to some radioactive fallout, and all of a person’s
organs and tissues have received some exposure.
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