Radiation

Ionizing radiation is any form of electromagnetic radiation that can detach electrons from atoms or molecules, ionizing them. Radiation is made up of energetic subatomic particles, atoms moving at high speeds, and electromagnetic waves on the higher spectrum of energy. Due to its nature, radiation cannot be detected by human senses, requiring special instrumentation, and is used in a variety of applications both civilian and military. However, exposure to ionizing radiation, specifically gamma rays, results in damage to living tissue or hazardous mutations.

Radiation is a key theme in the Boiled Alive universe, with the entire world becoming highly irradiated following the nuclear exchange during the Great Collapse. The radiation has given rise to mutant creatures that provide yet another threat to those who survive on the surface. Humans exposed to radiation can develop radiation poisoning, which can become so severe that their skin can begin to melt away, a process known as being "Boiled Alive", giving the franchise its name.