History of radiation warning sign

ApTyp · Post by **ApTyp** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 4:14 pm

[ Community -> Article ]

Sure, everyone has seen the striking black-on-yellow warning sign
outside your old school. But has anyone ever thought about when or how
the sign was designed? And why was the particular shape and color was
chosen? <a href="http://www.orau.org/ptp/articlesstories ... y.htm">DAC has the answer!</a>


<blockquote>
The three-bladed radiation warning symbol, as we currently know it, was
"doodled" out at the University of California Radiation Laboratory in Berkeley
sometime in 1946 by a small group of people.
...
"A number of people in the group took an interest in suggesting
different motifs, and the one arousing the most interest was a design which was supposed
to represent activity radiating from an atom."
...
The first signs printed at Berkeley had a magenta (Martin Senour Roman Violet No.
2225) symbol on a blue background. In an earlier letter written in 1948, Garden explained
why this particular shade of magenta color was selected: "it was distinctive and did
not conflict with any color code that we were familiar with. Another factor in its favor
was its cost. . . The high cost will deter others from using this color
promiscuously." Explaining the blue background, he said, "The use of a
blue background was selected because there is very little blue color used in most of the
areas where radioactive work would be carried out."
</blockquote>
<div align="center"><img width="150" height="174" border="0" align="middle" src="http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/6791 ... oil6uy.gif" alt="The original trefoil" title="The original trefoil" /> </div>
 Who would've thunk it!


<blockquote>


</blockquote>Spotted @ <a href="http://www.google.com">Google</a>

POOPERSCOOPER · Post by **POOPERSCOOPER** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 4:46 pm

interesting, but why did he make it? Whats a motif?

ApTyp · Post by **ApTyp** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 4:55 pm

"A number of people in the group took an interest in suggesting different motifs, and the one arousing the most interest was a design which was supposed to represent activity radiating from an atom."

There's more info on design influences if you FOLLOW TEH DAMN LINK, FUCKEN CONGOID!

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 6:57 pm

You're not supposed to insult people, you congoman.

Interesting read, anyway, and I'm glad our radioactive signs aren't of these colors

Kahgan · Post by **Kahgan** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 9:21 pm

heh, never even thought about where it came from

and your interseting way of conjucating "think" into "thunk" really amused me

vendetta · Post by **vendetta** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:36 pm

Actually, the perfect tense would've been who would've thought it.

Perhaps he was thinking about the drink/drank/drunk verb tenses and applied it to the verb to think.

PiP · Post by **PiP** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:50 pm

vendetta wrote:Actually, the perfect tense would've been who would've thought it.

Perhaps he was thinking about the drink/drank/drunk verb tenses and applied it to the verb to think.

how illuminating.

ApTyp · Post by **ApTyp** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:53 pm

It would be funny, if you weren't such a congoid. Damn jew.

POOPERSCOOPER · Post by **POOPERSCOOPER** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 3:50 am

i shouldnt have to click the link to get the important shit omg

russriod

Ernesto · Post by **Ernesto** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 6:53 am

I never thought one of the coolest symbols of all time could look so... Gay.

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 4:10 pm

The blue/magenta one hurts my eyes, but I guess that's the point. There's a certain magic in that symbol I tell you, even in the simple fallout shelter sign. I'm definitely going to buy one soon. Interesting read though.

Insane-Lark · Post by **Insane-Lark** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 7:33 pm

I'm getting tired of all the insulting & spam posts in the GD discussions. Watch yourselves & use the Wasteland appropriately or you may find more admin/mod interactivity than you like. "Congoid*, *jew*, *peanuts* or whatever one word answers are not helping threads but could end up expanding the Asshat group membership.

Think on it & enjoy the forums folks.

Naked_Lunch · Post by **Naked_Lunch** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 8:37 pm

Check this out:
Authentic 1950's Fallout Shelter sign
Only ten bucks, too! I can't pass this one up.

rabidpeanut · Post by **rabidpeanut** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:43 pm

I think it is red and yellow nowadays because most poisonous creatures exhibit these colours ie natural aversion to these colour will get you ass moving in fast and far.

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 2:12 pm

Yes mom.