Popular US Landmark Is More Radioactive Than Power Plant But Thousands Of People Pass Through It Every Day

Every year, about one and a half million tourists visit a landmark that is more radioactive than what’s legally allowed at a power plant.

It’s probably not the first place that comes to mind, unless you're wandering around somewhere like Chernobyl.

Luckily, there’s no 'claw of death' that could kill you with just a touch—unlike Chernobyl.

But no, it’s not in Europe; it’s actually in the good old US of A.

Getty Stock Image

If you’re from New York City, this probably isn’t new information to you—it’s Grand Central Terminal.

Forbes reports that in 2023, one and a half million tourists visited the station, not counting train and subway passengers. More than 750,000 people pass through it every day.

Grand Central Terminal is also the second most-visited tourist attraction in New York, right after Times Square.

So how does such an accessible place end up with such a high reading on the Geiger meter?

The reason is due to its massive use of granite and brick. 

Grand Central Terminal is more radioactive to work in than a power plant. Getty Stock Image

This large amount of granite is what has helped keep the terminal a popular spot for the last 111 years.

Believe it or not, the stunning architecture was designed and built between 1903 and 1913.

Because of all that granite, Grand Central Terminal is more radioactive than what is permitted in nuclear power plants. This is because granite naturally emits radiation.

The Department of Energy notes that certain parts of the station have an average of 525 mrem per year. 

This measurement estimates the potential health effects of low levels of ionizing radiation on the human body.

Grand Central emits more radiation to employees working at the landmark than staff at nuclear power plants across the country. Getty Stock Image

But don’t worry—if you’re just visiting or even working there, it’s not dangerous. You won’t mutate.

Radiation might sound manmade, mainly because we associate it with nuclear bombs, but it actually comes from natural materials.

That’s why radiation is everywhere, from x-rays to radiotherapy. It’s a part of our daily lives.

According to ABC News, nuclear researcher Eric Hall also says that the radiation doses at Grand Central are 'very, very small'.

The exterior base is made from a flashy Stony Creek granite, while the upper part of the building is made from Indiana limestone, sourced from Bedford, Indiana.

So, the next time you visit the Big Apple, make sure to check out Grand Central Terminal.