system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How does radiation cause mutations?
gpt
Simple answer:

Ionizing radiation causes formation of reactive oxygen species. These are molecules and ions that can react with things in your cells - namely DNA.

Usually, the changes to DNA can be repaired. Sometimes the changes to DNA are permanent, and can:

- Be such a drastic change that the cell cannot survive, and will either straight-up die, or will commit suicide.

- Be a genetic change (mutation) of no significance.

- Be a mutation that actually matters.


Some types of radiation (namely UV) can cause direct DNA damage that is not mediated by reactive oxygen species (i.e. no middle man).