History Main / FantasticRadiationShielding

Real-life radiation shielding mainly consists of piles of mundane materials that are good at blocking the radiation of concern[[note]]Lead is preferred for gamma radiation; water and other things with lots of hydrogen atoms work best for neutrons; simple cloth works fine for beta radiation; human skin can actually stop alpha radiation (though a gas mask or air supply should be worn to keep it out of your lungs); and for non-ionizing radiation (like radio waves or microwaves) a metal mesh will work fine[[/note]] and the radiation itself is understood as harmful electromagnetic energy emitted by uranium and other radioactive materials[[note]]including powerful radio wave sources[[/note]]. This trope covers all instances where:

* In ''The Physics of Superheroes'', James Kakalios explains how a helmet made of lead really ''could'' block attempts at mind reading, provided it's done by trying to pick up electric pulses in the brain.

Real-life radiation shielding mainly consists of piles of mundane materials that are good at blocking the radiation of concern[[note]]Lead is preferred for gamma radiation; water works best for neutrons; simple cloth works fine for beta radiation; human skin can actually stop alpha radiation (though a gas mask or air supply should be worn to keep it out of your lungs); and for non-ionizing radiation (like radio waves or microwaves) a metal mesh will work fine[[/note]] and the radiation itself is understood as harmful electromagnetic energy emitted by uranium and other radioactive materials[[note]]including powerful radio wave sources[[/note]]. This trope covers all instances where:

Compare HazmatSuit regarding a more mundane means of protection against realistic radiation.

-->'''Ace:''' I can't believe you've got to put this shit in your lungs, to neutralise the shit in your lungs.

* Every mainline ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' game features Rad-X, an oral medication that shields the body from radiation. Relatedly, there is also [=RadAway=], which is an oral medication that purges the body of radiation it's already absorbed.

* All the friggin' time on ''Franchise/StarTrek''. Radiation of all kinds (both real and contrived) can be blocked by various means, from DeflectorShields to inoculations. This includes deflector shields or magnetic shielding being capable of blocking [[{{Teleportation}} transporters]].

* In the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', Magneto's helmet protects him from various mutants' psychic powers.

* From ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' comes the Gellar field, which projects a "bubble of reality" around large-scale objects, making is used as a shield from psychic energy. While it's used in that capacity only a few times, such as to ward off psychic phenomena or daemons, its main use is to allow ships to safely transition from realspace and to exist safely in warpspace, making it essential to most factions' capacity for FTL travel. However, the technology is [[ParanoiaFuel not totally reliable]], and sudden Gellar field failure will mean that the fabric of the ship will... change within hours, although the crew will be long dead by that point, and be [[FateWorseThanDeath wishing for death]] up to ''that'' point.

Real-life radiation shielding mainly concerns huge slabs of lead and the radiation itself is understood as harmful electromagnetic energy emitted by uranium and other radioactive materials. This trope covers all instances where:

* Karl in ''Webcomic/FreakAngels'' wears foil under his hat so the other "angels" don't bother him with telepathic messages [[http://www.freakangels.com/?p=26&page=4 all the time]]. It's not clear whether or not it works because their telepathy uses radio waves or [[MagicFeather the placebo effect]], but it seems to make him feel a bit better.

* In the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' franchise, it's possible to block the mechanism for [[BigBad Reaper]] [[MoreThanMindControl indoctrination]] ([[spoiler: and Leviathan enthrallment, which is quite similar]]) with sufficient numbers of [[ForceField glowy energy barriers]]. This is handy for studying fragments of Reapers and other small artifacts, which could otherwise slowly indoctrinate researchers to the Reaper cause. However, it's insufficient for really big things, like active Reapers and capital ship derelicts.

* All the friggin' time on ''Franchise/StarTrek''. Radiation of all kinds (both real and contrived) can be blocked by various means, from DeflectorShields to magical inoculations. This includes deflector shields or magnetic shielding being capable of blocking [[{{Teleportation}} transporters]].

* In an episode of ''Series/TheFinder'' the Finder wears an aluminum foil hat. The ClientOfTheWeek (Hodgins from ''Bones'') mocks him, but it really does help block the government from interfering with your brain waves so you can move.

[[folder:Meta]]
* In ''The Physics of Superheroes'', James Kakalios explains how a helmet made of lead really ''could'' block attempts at mind reading, provided it's done by trying to pick up electric pulses in the brain.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]

* ''Film/{{Screamers}}''. The soldiers smoke 'reds', a cigarette containing a drug that counteracts the radiation from ten years of warfare on the planet. Presumably SmokingIsCool while {{Hazmat Suit}}s And HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic.

* In ''Literature/TheSalvationWar'', demonic mind control and illusion powers can be blocked by foil, the story gets much mileage out of this, including the line "There will always be eccentrics who deny that the tin foil hat is absolutely essential to prevent baldricks taking over your mind." said by a government official.
** Aluminium foil is far from the only method of achieving this effect, however; it's just the most lightweight and convenient material available for the task on short notice.

* In ''The Beacon To Elsewhere'' by Creator/JamesHSchmitz, radiation suits are used which protect the user by means of force fields. The protagonist has an advanced version which generates the force field without the need for a suit.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined'': One of the multiple showcases that the Twelve Colonies of Cobol have more advanced tech than modern-day Earth is the existence of anti-radiation drugs that allow people to survive wandering a recently-nuked city (Cylon-occupied Caprica). Of course, the radiologicals still have limits and one of the secondary characters dies in a HeroicSacrifice in the third season when she stays way past the maximum safe time piloting her Raptor through a hard-radiation area because she needed to help the fleet navigate this hazard.

* From ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' comes the Gellar field, which projects a "bubble of reality" around large-scale objects, making is used as a shield from psychic energy. While it's used in that capacity only a few times, such as to ward off psychic phenomena or daemons, its main use is to allow ships to safely transition from realspace and to exist safely in warpspace, making it essential to most factions' capacity for FTL travel. However, the technology is [[ParanoiaFuel not totally reliable]], and sudden Gellar field failure will mean that the fabric of the ship will...change within hours, although the crew will be long dead by that point, and be [[FateWorseThanDeath wishing for death]] up to ''that'' point.

[[folder:VideoGames]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* In the ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'' movie ''Into the Wild Green Yonder'', Fry and the Legion of Madfellows wear foil hats which prevent their thoughts being read by "The Dark One". And to keep themselves fairly sane as it blocks their own [[PowerIncontinence uncontrollable]] telepathy.

* ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'': Thoroughly averted in "The Light Brigade" in which Major John Skokes, the cadet and the Chief Weapons Officer are exposed to a lethal dose of gamma radiation while climbing past the engine core of the ''Light Brigade''.