The banana equivalent dose is a meme, not a measurement — here's why it still works

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:30:00 +0900

Scroll through the comments under any radiation story and someone will post it: “One CT scan = 70,000 bananas.” The line usually traces back to xkcd’s radiation dose chart (2011) or the English Wikipedia entry on the “banana equivalent dose,” BED for short. The ruler is one banana at 0.1 microsieverts, and X-rays, CT scans and nuclear accidents are lined up against it.

Banana Equivalent Dose on EnergyNote

The banana equivalent dose is a meme, not a measurement — here's why it still works