# Radioactive phones **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 11, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873 "2003-10-11T18:18:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873/1 "2003-10-11T18:18:02Z")
In one of my physics classes our teacher went off on one of his tangents (trust me, it’s a usual thing) and told us a story of telephones made by BT which used radioactive tritium to make the buttons glow in the dark. Unfortunately for them the radiation was too dangerous and loads of phones were recalled and stored in an old aircraft hanger somewhere. Because of this they didn’t realise the radiation would increase keeping them together and now the area is quarantined for health and safety reasons. Is this true? I trust my teacher because he so boring it’s not in him to be so creative. Also he told a story of nuclear mines buried in Berlin after WW2. Any truth? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873/2 "2003-10-11T18:57:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nocturnal\_tick \* > \*\*a story of telephones made by BT which used radioactive tritium to make the buttons glow in the dark. \*\* First of all, he ought to be spending the time teaching you physics, not telling stories! And you, as the customer paying for your education, ought to demand that. But about this story – it seems unlikely to me. Not just because of the urban-legend type vagueness of it, but because it doesn’t make economic sense. Tritium is much costlier to make than the common phosporus-based glow-in-the-dark paints. Why would BT use the more expensive substance instead of the cheaper one? Finally, why would you use glow-in-the-dark paint on a telephone, when it is already connected to an electrical system? Just put a little teeny light in there to light up the dial – that’s what Bell Telephone System did with the princess model phones here in America. ---
**Author:** ![bbeaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@bbeaty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbeaty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873/3 "2003-10-11T18:59:11Z")
On the phones, he was probably telling tall tales. Tritium radiation (20Kev beta) doesn’t penetrate the capsule the gas is contained within. Tritium-gas capsules are commonly used for permanent glows. Remember that wristwatch Seiko Luminox which was a big deal years ago? But then tritium capsules are probably too expensive to use in phones (twelve capsules per phone!) Maybe he was talking about radium? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873/4 "2003-10-11T19:29:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bbeaty \* > \*\*On the phones, he was probably telling tall tales. Tritium radiation (20Kev beta) doesn’t penetrate the capsule the gas is contained within. > > Tritium-gas capsules are commonly used for permanent glows. Remember that wristwatch Seiko Luminox which was a big deal years ago? But then tritium capsules are probably too expensive to use in phones (twelve capsules per phone!) > > Maybe he was talking about radium? \*\* [Luminox](http://www.luminox.com/about.asp) is a seperate company, not part of Seiko. I don’t hink their watches use Tritium, from their site > [@](#): > > Each watch employs tiny self-powered micro gas lights developed by the world leader in the luminous compound industry. These micro gas lights (borosilicate glass capsules) are installed into the hands, hour markers, and when necessary, bezels of our watches. I can tell you that this technology works. Any time, no matter how dark, I can read my watch and tell time down to the second. I love my Nay SEALS watch. Back in the 50’s my dad installed a electrical switch plate in our house that did give off some type of radiation, as it made a gieger counter go crazy. ---
**Author:** ![bbeaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@bbeaty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbeaty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873/5 "2003-10-11T20:00:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rick \* > \*\*[Luminox](http://www.luminox.com/about.asp) is a seperate company, not part of Seiko. I don’t hink their watches use Tritium, from their site > > I can tell you that this technology works. Any time, no matter how dark, I can read my watch and tell time down to the second. I love my Nay SEALS watch. > > Back in the 50’s my dad installed a electrical switch plate in our house that did give off some type of radiation, as it made a gieger counter go crazy. \*\* Heh. What is a “self-powered micro gas light?” It’s marketing spin, so they don’t have to use the word “radioactive.” Search google on [luminox +tritium](http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=luminox+%2Btritium) ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873/6 "2003-10-11T22:26:41Z")
Hey, don’t those work the same way those “[traser](http://www.traser-uk.com/)” keychains you can get at [theregister](http://www.theregister.co.uk)? I always wanted to buy some, but they’re only allowed to sell them in the UK for some reason. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873/7 "2003-10-11T22:34:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nocturnal\_tick \* > \*\* > > Also he told a story of nuclear mines buried in Berlin after WW2. Any truth? \*\*edited by **Bosda** Yes, sort of. Nuclear mines _did_ exist, at one time. And the UK discussed leaving atomic weapons behind on timers or other detonation techniques, but said nix on it. Too dicey. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873/8 "2003-10-12T02:22:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nanoda \* > \*\*Hey, don’t those work the same way those “[traser](http://www.traser-uk.com/)” keychains you can get at [theregister](http://www.theregister.co.uk)? I always wanted to buy some, but they’re only allowed to sell them in the UK for some reason. ☹ \*\* They’re made in the same way by the same company. Not sure about Canada, but they’re not licensed for import to the US because it’s considered a “frivolous” use of radioactive material. Apparently use in a watch isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873/9 "2003-10-12T09:23:38Z")
Aw nutbunnies. Coming from an institution that allowed uranium in [false teeth](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_107.html) for years, I think that’s a bit judgemental. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873/10 "2003-10-12T11:49:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nocturnal\_tick \* > Also he told a story of nuclear mines buried in Berlin after WW2. Any truth? Possibly a reference to [Blue Peacock](http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,999785,00.html). ---
**Author:** ![bunyip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@bunyip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunyip)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radioactive-phones/206873/11 "2003-10-12T19:56:18Z")
Does nobody remeber the old Post Office “Trimphone” from the 60’s and 70’s? These used a tritium light source in the dial. BT collected these into batches for disposal see [http://www.aeat.com/corporate/news/1997/trimfone.htm](http://www.aeat.com/corporate/news/1997/trimfone.htm)