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ScienceSurprise 5/5Difficulty 3/5Reviewed on September 13, 2026

Bananas are slightly radioactive because of potassium.

Why it is true

Bananas contain potassium, and a small fraction of that potassium is the radioactive isotope potassium-40. Therefore, each banana emits a very low dose of radiation. One would need to eat millions of bananas at once to reach a dangerous dose.

Source: Oak Ridge Associated Universities

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