This is another example of what I call the “everybody knows” or...

This is another example of what I call the “everybody knows” or “the standard story” effect. Everyone knows that uranium is radioactive, and it is indeed very weakly radioactive. Note, very weakly radioactive. What geologist (and all the talking heads in documentaries) detect with their gamma ray scintillometers and think is uranium (Geiger counters are 1950s gadgets) are what are known as the “daughter decay products” of uranium. They are other elements with different geochemical behaviour. Likewise with helium or radon anomalies. These daughter decay products are mostly very highly radioactive (to use layman's terms). In many geological situations the daughter decay products (the highly radioactive stuff) is leached away from the parent uranium leaving the very weakly radioactive stuff (uranium). This highly radioactive stuff is carried away in the ground water flow. In other words, the high gamma, helium or radon is found where the daughter decay products have moved to not where the uranium is. The uranium is upstream and only feebly radioactive. I have lost count of the number of geologist (and other assorted scientists) that I have explained this to, with only blank stares or embarrassed giggles in reply. But the “uranium is radioactive meme” is too strong and most minds are too weak. This is part of a general theme that runs through all aspects of society, and it is all very depressing.