Eli5: How do people survive lethal acute radiation poisoning for so long before death?

611 viewsBiologyOther

How is it that the body survives for weeks or months before finally succumbing to death after a lethal full body dose of radiation poisoning? I’ve heard that the penatrating radiation of gamma rays and neutrons destroy the DNA beyond repair. So how does the body continue to function for so long afterwards before finally losing the battle? How do cells without DNA carry on?

In: Biology