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Beta radiation is a type of radiation caused by nuclear fission, such as that which results from the detonation of an atomic bomb.

After Quark, Rom, and Nog were accidentally transported to Earth, the year 1947, through a time warp, they quickly discovered that their universal translators were not functioning. Upon learning that the Humans of that era were experimenting with atomic explosives, Rom was able to deduce that the beta radiation created as a byproduct of the explosions was the cause of the interference. Later, Rom was able to harness the beta radiation from a nuclear explosion to trigger a cascade reaction in kemacite stored in their shuttle. This caused a temporal surge in the subspace continuum, recreating the time warp and returning them to their own time. (DS9: "Little Green Men")

Contrary to Rom's assertion that beta radiation only occurs due to nuclear fission, beta radiation actually can occur naturally from the radioactive decay of numerous sources. He may have been referring to the quantity of beta radiation he observed, however.

In 3189, the bodies of Doctor Attis' family were found to have high concentrations of beta particles by a landing party from the USS Discovery. It was determined that they had been exposed to a radioactive proton storm generated by a coronal mass ejection. (DIS: "Die Trying")

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