Episode

The Deadly Glow: America’s Radium Craze

Podcast
Rainy Day Rabbit Holes: History Unhinged
Published
May 20, 2026
Duration seconds
4901
Processing state
not_requested
Canonical source
https://www.rainydayrabbitholes.com/
Audio
https://audio4.redcircle.com/episodes/8355a8a4-7fbb-407d-a398-a9eadf42cdcf/stream.mp3
JSON
/v1/public/podcasts/rainy-day-rabbit-holes-history-unhinged-6613547/episodes/the-deadly-glow-america-s-radium-craze
Markdown
/podcast/rainy-day-rabbit-holes-history-unhinged-6613547/the-deadly-glow-america-s-radium-craze.md

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Summary

In the early 20th century, radium was hailed as a miracle of modern science. It promised health, beauty, and vitality, and it was sold everywhere, from glowing clocks and cosmetics to drinking water and patent medicines. In this episode, Shea is joined by the creator of Radiant Radium, a collector and historian of radioactive antiques, to explore America’s radium craze and the everyday products that once made radiation a selling point. Together, they trace how radium escaped the laboratory, the tragedies that followed, and why belief in radioactive health cures still persists today. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-unhinged-rainy-day-rabbit-holes/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy