Signs, and how intuitive they are (radiation sign)

[smommer]

Hi,

 

ive been thinking about signs, road signs / warning signs etc and how intuitive they are. Most signs afford some kind of meaning in the graphic they represent, for example a flammable sign is a flame, and irritant is a cross (implying, dont mess about with it). The picture has at least a partial meaning to the message it is trying to represent,

 

i am stuck on why the "radioactive" sign is what it is, what is it meant to be and why?

 

does anyone know?

 

cheers

Smommer

[swansont]

Check this out.

 

"Might some previous design have inspired the radiation trefoil? Marshall Brucer suggested that this symbol was used at a naval dry dock near Berkeley to warn of spinning propellers. To me, the magenta symbol is striking similarity to a commercially available radiation warning sign, used before 1947, that consisted of a small red dot with four or five red lightening bolts radiating outwards, a design very similar to that on electrical hazard warning signs. The trefoil also has some resemblance to the Japanese battle flag which would have been familiar to folk on the west coast."

 

 

I do note that the symbol is similar to the propeller insignia of the US Navy Machinist Mate rating.

[insane_alien]

the dot is supposed to be the nucleus/atom/sphere of a radioactive material and the triangle thingys are supposed to be rays. at least this is what my physics teacher told us

[Phi for All]

I would imagine it was difficult to devise a warning sign that wouldn't make people too fearful of atomic energy in general. I'm sure the tri-foil was meant to eventually become the accepted symbol, rather than being an instantly more intuitive warning like most others.

 

Showing a person vomiting, bleeding and losing their hair while being assaulted by invisible waves might be more of a barrier than a warning.

[Mokele]

Just make a sign with a silhouette of a lizard with waves going into it, then an arrow, then a silouhette of Godzilla. If anyone doesn't know what that means, they've been living under a rock for the past 60 years.

 

But I'm biased.

 

Mokele