From the ever growing list of environmental concerns, radon has emerged as an unbeatable headline grabber. This leap to stardom is due, in part, to our basic fear of the unseen dangers of radiation. Radon can seep in unannounced into our sacred castle without a hint of its presence. Furthermore, high radon levels can zap us daily with the equivalent of multiple chest X-rays or dozens of packs of smoked cigarettes. The new home buyer who discovers that his dream house is uninhabitable due to high radon levels will be very upset with the building and its builder-a contractor's nightmare. How likely is the scenario described above? In my area, the infamous Reading Prong, thousands of houses have been