Advancing the science of protecting humans and the environment from radiation

Radioecology is the study of the behaviour and effects of radioactive elements in the environment and investigates the exposure of humans and other organisms to radiation. It is a multidisciplinary science, building on aspects of biology, ecology, chemistry, physics, maths, geology, environmental sciences, ecotoxicology and much more!

Radioecologists consider many sources of natural and man made radioactivity; they also develop methods of reducing people’s exposure to radioactivity such as those used after the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents. There is a need for accessible, understandable information about the many different issues concerning radioactivity in the environment and scientists need to provide independent guidance based upon well founded research; the information provided here aims to do this.

This site was created by the STrategy for Allied Radioecology (STAR) network of excellence (NoE) and COMET (COordination and iMplementation of a pan-European instrumenT for radioecology) projects; it is now maintained as hub for information related to European radioecological research by the European Radioecology Alliance (http://www.er-alliance.eu).