Baltimore, Maryland
Few things generate such an immediate, visceral reaction as anything vaguely “nuclear.” Yet for such an evocative word, very few people actually know what radioactive material is. The green liquid in this vial is radioactive phosphate, a substance used for decades in molecular biology research. Using this specific material (not all isotopes are green – sorry, Simpsons fans) has allowed us to understand the very roots of our chemical composition in the letters of our DNA. Pictured behind the vial is a protective lead container.
