Let's talk about Radon

Radon is a radioactive noble gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and occurs naturally. So it can not be detected by us. It is formed when Radium decays.

Radon gas occurs naturally and accumulate in buildings and trapped basement area, spring water, and hot springs. US Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) estimates radon is reportedly the second most frequent cause of lung cancer, after cigarette smoking; and radon-induced lung cancer the 6th leading cause of cancer death overall. According to the same sources, radon reportedly causes 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States.

According to the Surgeon General of the United States, Radon has killed over 20,000 Americans each year because of radon-related lung cancer. The EPA recommends home owners to keep their radon level below 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) (148 Bq m⁻³). It is essential to get your home checked for radon today if your have been occupying home for a long-term.

Few informative links:

epa.gov/radon/
http://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/env/radon/en/index.html