Glowing Radium Highways

Radium is a radioactive substance found in nature and produced by the radioactive decay of uranium. The intensity of radiation from radioactive materials decreases over time. Discovered in the form of radium chloride, it was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. At the beginning of the 20th century, radium was a popular additive in consumer products such as toothpaste, hair creams, and even food items because of its supposed beneficial health properties. When they were found to have adverse health effects, such products were soon discontinued. Manufacturers used radium until the early 1970s in self-luminous paints for watches, aircraft switches, clocks, and instrument dials. Other than its use in nuclear medicine, radium has no commercial applications currently.

Note: This mid-Twentieth Century futurist illustration envisions glowing highways of a mesmerizing infrastructure project. However, the artist is accurate on one detail---the center console with a navigation screen.