Radiaverse is a crowdsourced platform designed to turn individual radiation measurements into a shared, public map of the world. The project aims to provide a transparent look at global radiation levels by aggregating data from a network of users who carry RadiaCode detectors. These devices log dose rates and GPS locations every second, allowing users to record data while walking, driving, or flying. Once a user publishes a recording, it joins a collective database that feeds a public hexagon-based map layer, where the community can explore and describe specific locations of interest.
The platform provides a public hexagon-based map layer where the community can explore and describe specific locations of interest.
The project aims to provide a transparent look at global radiation levels by aggregating data from a network of users who carry RadiaCode detectors.
These devices log dose rates and GPS locations every second, allowing users to record data while walking, driving, or flying.
The platform categorizes radiation sources into several types, including natural occurrences, industrial sites, and historical contamination. For example, the map includes data on thorium sand mixes, uranium mines, and the site of the 1987 Goiânia tragedy, where a radiotherapy machine was accidentally abandoned in a scrapyard. Users can choose to publish their tracks anonymously, and the platform provides a mechanism for users to outline specific 'areas'—complete with photos and context—to discuss with others. These area descriptions are reviewed by moderators before they go public.
Despite the scale of the project, which currently features nearly 50 million dose-rate points, the platform faces challenges regarding data interpretation. Because the map aggregates data from various users, variations in device sensitivity or calibration can complicate the analysis of specific spikes. This makes it difficult for observers to determine whether a high reading represents a significant environmental hazard or a localized equipment error. Additionally, while the platform provides a broad overview of global radiation, the source material does not provide specific technical details on how RadiaCode detectors are calibrated or how the system normalizes data across different hardware models to ensure consistency across the global map.