The weekly newsletter for Fed2 by ibgames

EARTHDATE: February 18, 2007

Official News - page 7

REAL LIFE NEWS: RADIATION SYMBOL REBRANDED

by Hazed

The United Nations, bless them, is concerned that the traditional symbol for radiation isn't obvious enough. Sure, people who have been well educated will have learn what the black trefoil thing on the yellow background means.

But for those who didn't pay attention in school, the UN has decided the symbol needs to be dumbed down and made more literal, so the likes of Homer Simpson are left in no doubt.

The new radiation warning sign includes the old trefoil, which is radiating nasty dangerous rays towards a skull and crossbones and a stick figure - who is running away, as anybody faced with this situation should of course do. And to make it all seem even more scary, the yellow background has been replaced with a red one.

And guess what. Coming up with this lovely new symbol involved five years of research and testing on 1,650 individuals in 11 countries.


Stop press: Dave Barry described the new symbol by saying "It's very clear: If you see a propeller shooting water toward pirates, you must run the other way."


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