Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
Airport police in China have seized this radioactive uranium ‘power stone’ off a clueless traveller who gave it to their daughter for good luck and caused her nosebleeds for three months.
The golden disc-shaped pendant set off alarms as the air passenger – whose name, age and gender have not been revealed – tried to bring it past security at Dalian Airport in China’s north-eastern province of Liaoning on 11th December.
Dalian customs officers said the object – dubbed a ‘five-element-proton quantum energy resonator’ – gave off 112.4 microsieverts of radiation an hour, which is equivalent to receiving 11 dental X-rays at the same time.
Humans typically receive 2,000 to 3,000 microsieverts a year from natural background radiation, while CT scans and chest X-rays give off 15,000 and 20 microsieverts per hour respectively.
According to reports, exposure to 100,000 microsieverts a year is the lowest cancer risk threshold, and an accumulated 1,000,000 microsieverts – or 1 sievert – will lead to a fatal cancer in one out of every 100 people exposed.
Airport authorities said the traveller gave the power stone laced with radioactive thorium-232 and uranium-232 to their young daughter to “keep her safe”.
It has reportedly been linked to the girl’s chronic nosebleeds, which lasted three months, according to the customs officials.
Customs officers seized the object to dispose of it, but it was not the first piece of radioactive jewellery or good luck charm they have found passing through security, they said.
According to the report, similar power stone bracelets and even belts have been confiscated from travellers, who unknowingly buy them for good luck and to keep them safe.
The authorities have warned members of the public against purchasing items promising pseudo-scientific spiritual or physical health benefits.
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