Granite contains radioactive substances such as uranium. Grand Central Terminal, aka Grand Central Station, in New York is made primarily with granite. Because of this, the station actually gives off relatively high levels of radiation.
In fact, if someone wanted to build a nuclear power plant inside the station, it wouldn’t be allowed because it would give off too much radiation before you even turned the reactor on. It’s not that the levels inside the station are harmful—they’re not—but rather that the regulations around nuclear power plants are just extremely strict!
The same goes for any large building made from granite. For example, Australia's Parliament House would have just as much trouble securing a license. In fact, there are popular foods that give off enough radiation to set off an alarm at a nuclear plant.
The truth is we are exposed to radiation constantly. Living near a nuclear power plant won’t make you grow a second head or have deformed babies. The only real danger is when it gets damaged and starts to leak. This can lead to some pretty serious catastrophes such as Chernobyl and Fukushima.
