Radon can cause cancer - the radioactive naturally occurring gas can enter houses through soils. So how high are the concentrations of radon in building interiors in Germany? And to what extent is it possible to effectively determine these values with the involvement of interested laypersons? The research project commissioned by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection first evaluated the benefits of a citizen science project on radon in Germany. In the next step, the IZT developed concrete proposals for implementing participatory methods to measure indoor radon concentrations.

The focus of a future Citizen Science project is on two central tasks: the collection of data on indoor radon concentrations and the improvement of the population's knowledge about radon as a health hazard. Aspects of measurement technology, social, societal and data protection law are to be included. The scientific quality of scientific-technical projects in Germany and of international radon projects is also to be assessed. The focus of the analysis is clearly on the one hand on the socio-scientific and on the other hand on the participatory perspectives on the topic of Citizen Science.