Kitchen Fallout

So, you've paid thousands of dollars to decorate your kitchen with shiny rocks, and now the stuff can kill you? According to Rice University physics professor W.J. Llope, the answer is yes. He claims to have tested 25 kinds of granite purchased from Houston, Texas dealers and found some varieties that would expose a homeowner to 100 millirems of radiation in a few months. There are some red flags here, however. Although Dr. Llope says he's planning on publishing his results in a peer-reviewed journal, he hasn't done so yet. Science is usually not conducted by one person completing a single test and then running to tell a reporter. But if you're thinking it's always better safe than sorry, you might want to line your new granite countertops with a protective lead covering. Just don't make a salad on it. More details here.