The What If? series by Randall Munroe and Henry Reich (previously at Neatorama) tackles submitted theoretical questions seriously, no matter how dumb they seem on the surface. In list of fun facts, we often run across how bananas are radioactive. It's true, but how radioactive are they? And if we could extract that radioactivity, how many bananas would it take to power, say, a home?
Bananas, as you know, are safe to eat. The reason their radioactivity is a meme is a story in itself. Here we find out why bananas (and other foods) are technically radioactive. Still, radioactivity is a matter of scale. This video looks at that scale, and determines that the radioactivity from them isn't worth the hassle of harnessing. You could produce more energy by burning the bananas. But the best way to get energy from a banana is to eat it! Just be aware of the danger- and don't slip on the peel.
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