Since the first atomic blast at the 1945 Trinity Test, thousands of above-ground nuclear detonations have scattered a unique radioactive isotope, called cesium-137 (Cs-137), across the globe.

Carried by wind and rain, this fallout has infiltrated soils far from the original test sites, silently embedding itself into the environment. Cs-137’s sneaky solubility in water lets it slip into plants, which confuse it for potassium, a vital nutrient. This contamination reaches plant nectar, which bees harvest to craft honey.

Recent studies reveal that even today, trace amounts of Cs-137 continue to cycle through ecosystems, particularly on the US East Coast—far from the desert and oceanic testing sites.

Despite its radioactive contents, this honey is safe to eat. The highest radioactivity measured in samples was 19.1 becquerels per kilogram, far below the FDA’s safety limit of 1,200 Bq/kg.

An 8 oz bottle includes about as much radioactivity as half of a banana—and dropping. With a 30-year half-life, honey from the 1970s likely carried ten times more Cs-137 than what we find now.