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In war, the advantages of Depleted Uranium munitions help the United States stomp other countries into the ground.

The United States and its NATO allies maintain that Depleted Uranium dust (a by-product) doesn't cause cancer and birth defects, however, 136 countries are siting other research saying that it does.

Which side do you think is right?


Here is the wikipedia entry:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depleted_uranium

Well, depends.

Ship a few X-rays and exposure to the bullets will do as much harm.
There are other factors of depends, things like how depleted, bullet shatters and so many other factors.

Radiation occurs naturally, radon being cited as most common. Man made radiation has however increased the worldwide background radiation. The Japan nukes, TMI, Chernobyl and of course the current Japan plant melt downs.

Radiation is always about you, there however are some places that concentration is higher and considered more dangerous.

Back to the bullets, being shot by one odds are good health in greater danger from wounds then radiation. A large collection of bullets in a small area certainly could result in an ongoing heath rish for thousands of years.

I repeat it depends.

I also think it depends.

Its not like bullets being shot out of a soldier's standard issue fire arm is made of depleted uranium, that's probably just lead, like all other bullets. (Which in of itself is rather toxic)

Usually its pretty high caliber guns that they shoot that stuff out of.

I've held a small piece of uranium (it was about the size of a U.S. nickel), and no ill harm has befallen me from it. Usually it really would take, ether a significant quantity (several pounds), or a very long term exposure to it.

Depleted uranium is considered pretty harmless. According to the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depleted_uranium:1mt5cm58]WikiPedia[/url:1mt5cm58] article on it, its used for all sorts of things, including some things you've probably encountered. Counter weights in airplanes, radiation shields, tank and vehicle armor for our troops.

What I think most countries are concerned with is when the ammunition itself shatters, it becomes dust and is inhaled, or it can get lodged as shrapnel into peoples' bodies, and that's definitely [b:1mt5cm58]NOT[/b:1mt5cm58] something you'd want. But then, I wouldn't want to have anything that's been used as ammunition lodged into my body or lungs anyhow. Wood, lead, steel, depleted uranium, whatever.