Pilots and Flight Attendants Are Bombarded by Cosmic Radiation—And Getting Deadly Cancers From It

Commercial pilots and flight attendants face higher odds of dying from radiation-linked cancers than hundreds of other professions, a landmark study suggests. Researchers point to high-altitude cosmic rays, raising calls for better awareness and tailored health screenings.

The newly published study evaluated national records drawn from over 12 million death certificates that included detailed occupational data

New research finds that pilots and flight attendants are the occupations with the highest risk of dying from radiation-related cancers in the U.S.

Of more than 500 occupations in the United States, flight attendants and pilots have the highest and second-highest proportion of radiation-related cancer deaths, a new study has found.