A new Harvard study has found that flight attendants and pilots face the highest risk of radiation-related cancer deaths among more than 500 occupations analysed in the United States. The research highlights that people working at high altitudes for extended periods are exposed to greater levels of cosmic radiation than those in most other jobs, raising concerns about long-term health risks for aviation workers.

Study author Dr Anupam B. Jena, who spoke to Fox News Digital, explained that radiation exposure increases significantly the higher one travels in the atmosphere, which puts flight crews at particular risk over the course of their careers. The study ranked occupations by their likelihood of radiation-related cancer mortality, placing airline staff at the very top of the list, ahead of hundreds of other professions assessed.