Which Noble gas is this?

I first learned of this gas back in the late 80's, when warnings were given to test and see if this gas was seeping out of your basement. The sensationalist news reports of the day made all manner of claims about cancer risk and encouraged you test your home for it's presence.

Anyone remember this?

Radon gas is it's name. But is it really bad for you? Let's find out!

Directly from the EPA website...

Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.

Radon can be found all over the U.S.

Radon gas is a natural by-product of the break down of uranium that is occurring in the soil, rock and water.

The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Wow! This is a startling statistic and quite a surprise!

Interesting to think of radioactive gas around us all the time. Consider the idea of evolution and genetic mutation, could radon gas be driver of mutation that prompted our emergence from the primordial soup?