likeaphysicist:

Ohio State University astronomers are working with medical physicists and radiation oncologists to develop a potential new radiation treatment — one that is intended to be tougher on tumors, but gentler on healthy tissue.

In studying how chemical elements emit and absorb radiation inside stars and around black holes, the astronomers discovered that heavy metals such as iron emit low-energy electrons when exposed to X-rays at specific energies. [more]

(via kaleidoscopicmind)