gamma radiation

noun

|Updated on: 3 Jun 2018

Definition of gamma radiation

: radiation composed of gamma rays

Recent Examples of gamma radiation from the Web

The cells shut down in response to DNA-damaging agents like gamma radiation, or when a cancer-inducing gene was inserted.

— diana gitig, Ars Technica, "Naked mole rats have a complicated relationship with cancer," 7 Feb. 2018
Painted in patriotic Swedish blue and yellow, it is festooned with large ventilation pipes that can keep out gamma radiation and other potential hazards.

— alexander smith, NBC News, "Sweden plans to build more bunkers amid fears of Russian aggression," 6 Mar. 2018
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency leases land in various locations around Zion for gamma radiation detectors.

— mary mcintyre, Lake County News-Sun, "Gamma radiation detectors: just one reminder of Zion's nuclear legacy," 11 Sep. 2017
Immediately following the chirp of this latest gravitational wave detection, NASA’s Fermi Space telescope recorded a flash of gamma radiation.

— ben panko, Smithsonian, "Scientists Spot the Spark From Ancient Collision of Neutron Stars," 16 Oct. 2017
Up until now, astronomers have had to rely on the electromagnetic spectrum—from radio waves, through visible light, to gamma radiation—to gaze at the universe.

— The Economist, "The 2017 Nobel science prizesBody clocks, gravitational waves and studying protein structure," 5 Oct. 2017
Bombs typically only emit 0.1 percent to 0.5 percent of their energy as gamma radiation, though exotic designs may increase this output.

— david hambling, Popular Mechanics, "What Is an EMP, and Could North Korea Really Use One Against the U.S.?," 28 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gamma radiation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.